I purchased this cat tree for my approximately 6-pound, fully-grown kitty. She loves to climb, and she loves to scratch, and since we moved into a smaller space, she hasn't had many places to do much climbing. Even after reading all of the previous reviews, I chose this one because I *actually* read the item description, which apparently the majority of other purchasers failed to do. Appearance: The beige color is a little closer to ivory, but it certainly looks great in our living room corner, with wood laminate flooring and off-white walls. It's not a terrible eyesore like many cat trees can be, and will sit very nicely out of the way. Beware when you first open the box, though. You will have little ivory-colored bits of carpet shedding all over the place while you unpack and assemble it. Have the vacuum cleaner ready! Assembly: It took me maybe 5-10 minutes to assemble the entire thing. It comes in 10 pieces (not counting the hardware and hex wrench, which is obviously included as well), and the directions make it quite clear how to assemble the piece. Function: My cat is not quite normal. At first, she wanted nothing to do with this strange new beast that invaded her home. A tiny bit of catnip rubbed on the posts and platforms, however, quickly made this her new best friend! She weighs about 6 pounds (maybe a little more), and while she is slightly long for climbing from level to level, she enjoys jumping up to the higher platforms, and crawling into the little alcove. Scratching the posts seems to suit her, too. For those who complained that their 11-pound, 20-pound, or Maine Coon(!) cats couldn't safely play on it: That's because it says clearly in the item's description that it is for a "small cat." The very last time I checked, 20 pounds certainly did not qualify a cat as "small." 11 pounds is rather beefy, too. At about 6 or 7 pounds, mine can play with this just fine. She's almost 11 years old, and enjoys the mouse-like critter suspended from the top platform. There's no noticeable wobble when she mounts or dismounts from any level of the structure, and it is not propped up on a wall, and I did not add any additional support or weight. One previous reviewer stated that it looked as if it would bend if a person were to lean on it. Well, it's not intended for *people* to play on it, so I also wouldn't recommend resting on it for support. But if your kitty gets tired, he or she will love to play or rest on the soft, silky carpeting on this cat tree. All in all, this is great for a growing kitten (not too tiny, though) or a *small* cat. The carpet is soft and silky, and the structure is sturdy. If your cat doesn't seem too keen on it at first, try rubbing and sprinkling a tiny bit of catnip on it and then put the cat on it. They'll be in love, and you'll have some entertainment watching them play.
