Great pictures! One day, cats will learn to overtake the world from their elevated perches!
Is that scratching post homemade? It looks like it may be! If so, what kind of material is around it? It looks like my girls would like it and it would be easier/cheaper than sisal.
It's a modified Ultimate Scratching Post -- I added a wider base to make it more stable and added the wider perch on top. The original top was too small and it was also smooth and slippery.
Holy cow, I can't believe how much the cat in that picture looks like Twinkie!!