I totally agree with Masha. I'm not looking for a great deal, but I just feel that the cat trees available are just not worth the costs. The quality is just not there... The 2ft cat tree I have, broke as I was assembling it. Some parts were just stapled on. A glue gun and some screws later and it was better than new.
So while I was looking at that weird cat tree on the Ikea website, it got me thinking...
I got this in my parents basement:
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/30058508
Which hasn't been used since I moved out. It was cheap furniture that I used as a student.
I think with a few extra pieces (for support and give it more levels), carpet, and a lot of sisal rope, I can convert it into a cat tree! All without the need for cutting or drilling!
I'll post what I come up with.