Putting the tree together was easy. Each piece was marked and the diagram was easy to follow. This cat tree has been in the house for about three weeks now. We have 2 cats, each about 10 pounds. They like to climb and jump, scratch on the posts. The tree is solid and sturdy, so I have no fears of it tipping over or falling apart. It sits in front of a window and the cats love to climb to the top platforms and look outside. Even the base of the tower can be fun, as one of the cats loves to roll around and attack the four posts. I had wondered if the fabric would give them problems, since it's softer and finer than carpet. But they seem to get up and down with no problems. The only reason I didn't give the tree a "5" star is that it has a slight smell to it. I'm pretty sensitive to odors, though, so it may not bother most people.