Frisco Heavy Duty 21-in Extra Wide Perch Cat Tree with Sisal Scratcher

My husband was home when it arrived and did the assembly work for me. When you first open the box, you will see a red plastic ribbon in one corner. There is a plastic bag attached to the ribbon with all the hardware and an allen wrench in it. I admit I was really impressed by that, as there have been many times where parts were thrown all over, scattered among the packing materials and often missing from items I’ve purchased over the years. It only took my husband about 15 minutes to assemble, but there are a couple things you should know that aren’t mentioned in the directions, which are simply exploded diagrams. First off, you will need a sharp pointed object such as an awl, an Exacto, etc., as any time a bolt has to be placed through the carpet you will need to make a hole in the carpet. The holes in the wood are easy to find with a finger and the carpet wasn’t difficult to pierce, so this was no problem at all. The only other thing I would mention regarding assembly is that the bolstered bed that goes on top can be a challenge to stretch over the top. We actually thought it was too small at first, but after a few times, I managed to get it in place. Don’t try to stretch two adjacent corners on at the same time. Put the first corner on then pull the other three on one at a time. It takes a bit of effort, but it was well worth it. The cats love it and it’s staying securely in place. I should also warn you that the box it arrives in is pretty heavy, which actually speaks well of the toy, as it is a very heavy, sturdy piece that I am sure will hold up to my hooligans for many years. They’ve been climbing on it and jumping all over it and it hasn’t budged, no tipping, rocking or falling over. It’s very secure on its base. My husband had fuzzy assistants before he was finished assembling it. They couldn’t wait to check it out. First they had to have a wrestling match inside the lower level and then they had to try out the scratching post. They had a pretty good game of hide and seek/smacking each other around the post. While the two brothers were busy with that, their little sister hopped up onto the bed, which is a very generous size. The biggest of my cats is 18.5 lbs. He was up there with his 14.4 lb brother and there was still room. That bed would easily hold three the size of my biggest boy and potentially four if the cats in question were not as big as he is. The other cats have been coming to check it out as they wake up from their naps and they’ve all loved it. The fuzzy ball that dangles inside has been another big hit with them. In the early morning hours of the next day they all went bonkers for it, chasing each other over and through it, playing peek-a-boo through it, wrestling on it, sharpening their claws and eventually napping on it once they wore themselves out. My littlest-and oldest, cat who has some serious anxiety issues, runs to that toy every time he sees it and does his impression of a loaf of bread on the lower level. He looks very contended and relaxed sitting there. I have no idea why he feels this is a safe place for him, but it’s very obvious that he does. Anything that helps keep him calm is fine with me. The toy is rated for less than 20 lbs., but I can tell you it was handling much more than that with no problem at all. The only movement at all was when two of them were chasing each other, ran into it and shoved it over a couple inches. (The carpet on the bottom board wraps around the lower edge and protects floors from being scratched). Do not hesitate to try it for your cats. It’s sturdy, it’s secure on its base, it’s easy to clean and I feel it is well-worth the price. An added bonus is that the height is perfect for it to be placed next to a window. A comfy bed, a play place and bird watching all in one. It’s definitely a winner around here, every one of my cats loves it!