Would ‘mew’ believe it! Chubby cat becomes city’s No.1 tourist CAT-traction
A chubby black-and-white cat called Gacek has been left revelling in his own unwitting celebrity after being named the No. 1 tourist attraction in the northern city of Szczecin.
Scoring an average Google rating of 4.9 out of 5, Gacek has left other attractions – such as the award-winning Philharmonic, the Castle of Pomeranian Dukes and the city’s underground WWII tunnels – trailing in his wake ever since first finding fame.
Often found outside his wooden den on Kaszubska street, the six-year-old moggy has long been viewed as a cult local figure.
Often found dozing inside his wooden den on Kaszubska street, the six-year-old moggy has long been viewed as a cult local figure, and it was this that prompted a local news portal, wSzczecinie, to post a video feature about Gacek back in 2020.
Since viewed a staggering 450,000 times, the video helped fan Gacek’s fame further after it was revealed that he had topped Google’s list of local attractions.
Alternately known as ‘the King of Kaszubska’ and ‘the cat ambassador of Szczecin’, the moggy has amassed in excess of 1,000 ‘user reviews’, with the overwhelming majority leaving him a ‘puurfect’ five star rating.
Alternately known as ‘the King of Kaszubska’ and ‘the cat ambassador of Szczecin’, the moggy has amassed in excess of 1,000 ‘user reviews’, with the overwhelming majority leaving him a ‘puurfect’ five star rating.
“Best thing to happen on our holiday,” wrote one fan. Another, meanwhile, called him “the Mayor of the city”, before praising him for his “personality, weight and style”.
Gacek’s fame has also now spread abroad, with several Google users admitting to visiting Poland specifically for their chance to pet the dashing furball.
With other users describing him as “a rock star”, “the King of town”, “the greatest of all time”, and “a city icon”, Gacek has become a bona fide celebrity with one visitor joking that the handsome feline had stolen his wife.
“This cat stole my wife when they first met,” wrote Jacob G. “She now lives with Gacek and out four children. I’m not mad though – Gacek is twice the husband and father I will ever be.”
Astonishingly, Gacek’s fame has also now spread abroad, with several Google users admitting to visiting Poland specifically for their chance to pet the dashing furball.
One doting fan described her meeting with Gacek as the “Best thing to happen on our holiday.”
Not everyone, however, has been charmed. Among the one star reviews, one visitor quipped that Gacek “stole a sausage”.
Several others have also expressed concerns regarding the cat’s ballooning weight, a point some have attributed to the amount of snacks and treats doled out by generous passers-by.
The city’s animal shelter has now appealed to the public not to feed him, whilst Gacek’s guardian has also been moved to hang a sign requesting that any food donations be left unopened so that they can be correctly rationed at a later time.
