Update: Almost a year and a half later, I'm buying a new one of these to replace the one our cats have used heavily every day. They finally managed to tear one section up enough to warrant replacement, though the unit itself is still solid, and most of the surface is still good (except that one spot). We did have an odd experience, though: When we first got the scratching post, we rewarded our cats with treats (actually, healthy dry food) for using it. They quickly started using it to get our attention, and it became the place we'd set any treats down for them to eat. Once the one section finally started fraying, the small strands from it drifted down, and the cats ate some. We saw those in their poop, thought they'd gotten worms, and took them to the vet unnecessarily. They're fine, and that's probably a risk if you feed cats by any scratching post, but I thought I'd mention it in case it helps anyone else diagnose a problem. :-) Overall, this has proven to be a very good scratching post. This time, we're buying the bed, too, to see if our younger cat will like it. Original Review: I bought this while training our cats to use a scratching post, because our old one was short and light, and the cats would sometimes get a claw stuck and end up carrying it with them in their attempts to get free. Eventually, the carpet started pulling away from the core, and I decided it was time to get a new one. I chose this one despite some warnings about its smell, and it's been working fine for months now. It had a very mild scent when I opened the box, which quickly dissipated and which I probably only noticed because other reviewers had me a little paranoid. I sit right next to it when working on the computer (I work from home), and I'm sensitive to chemical smells, so I would definitely notice if this one were a problem, but it's not. It's taller and heavier than the old one I was replacing, so the cats can stretch upwards when they scratch, and it stays in place nicely. In fact, it's strong enough for our younger cat to climb up the side of it onto the perch - something he frequently does when I'm absorbed in a meeting and not paying him enough attention. (He puts on a good show by climbing up, reaching down, and pulling at the toy to make it ring. My coworkers are very amused.) When I eventually need a replacement, I might get the bed option for him. BTW, for the many reviewers who've complained that their cats ignore scratching posts, it's definitely possible to teach them. With our current two cats, I started by putting treats on the base of it to get them interested. Then, I gave them treats whenever they scratched it. After they got used to that idea, I started alternating treats with petting and verbal praise (in which I repeatedly used the phrase "scratching post" so they'd associate those words with the actual item). Whenever they scratched anywhere else, I'd tell them "no" firmly and then more gently tell them to go use their scratching post. The older one has the concept completely at this point and now uses the other scratching posts in the house, too; I haven't seen him scratch the carpet or furniture in months. The younger cat still occasionally scratches something else, so I might try an approach that worked really well for a cat we had many years ago: I'd tell her "no," pick her up and take her to the scratching post, set her down there and hold her paws while mimicking the scratching motion and praising her enthusiastically, take her back to where she was scratching and tell her "no" while mimicking the motion there, and then return to the scratching post. I still remember the "lightbulb" look in her eyes when she abruptly understood. For the remainder of her lifetime after that, she'd go to the scratching post whenever we were in the room together, scratch it joyously while looking at me, and preen while I praised her. Scratching is natural cat behavior, and they get upset and confused if they're yelled at for it, but you can definitely turn scratching into a positive interaction for both of you.
