Fat cat becomes Polish city’s top-rated tourist attraction 

A fat cat that lives on a street has become the top-rated tourist attraction in a Polish city.

Tourists visiting the medieval city of Szczecin have swapped historical landmarks and museums for a tour with Gacek, a black and white cat. 

Szczecin, in northwestern Poland and close to the border with Germany, offers visitors plenty of tourist attractions including the Pomeranian Duke’s Castle and Kasprowicza Park.

But the moggy, who even has his own Instagram page and a section on Google Maps, has outshone them with his near perfect 5-star rating.

According to locals, Gacek, whose name means ‘long-eared bat’ in Polish, first appeared on Kaszubska Street in downtown Szczecin 10 years ago. 

The moggy, who even has his own Instagram page and a section on Google Maps, has outshone other tourist attractions with his near perfect 5-star rating

He rose to fame in 2020, after local news site wSzczecinie posted videos of him.

He is said to have hung around tourists who took a shining to him and fed him treats – causing him to become the chunky cat he is today. 

According to Notes From Poland, some people worry for his safety and criticise those who have caused him to become overweight.   

But it seems the ‘King of Kaszubska Street’, is content living in his wooden box outside a shop, whose owners take care of him. 

Outside his house is a sign that invites passers-by to refrain from petting him when he’s sleeping and to feed him a treat… or two when he is out and about.

According to locals and tourists, Gacek is a ‘fantastically handsome and superb fellow’ but he has a tendency to scratch or steal food when he’s in a bad mood.