- Gacek’s popularity attracted many visitors, but he quickly became huge
- He has been removed from Google, apparently to prevent tourists from feeding him
A fat cat that became a Polish city’s top-rated attraction has been removed from Google, taken off the streets and put on a diet after welcoming too many generous visitors.
The chubby black and white stray dog named Gacek became world famous after being ranked out of five by reviewers on Google.
Gacek, nicknamed “the King of Kaszubska” after the name of the street where he lived in the city of Szczecin, was ranked higher on Google than the city’s more traditional tourist hotspots, including the award-winning Philharmonic, the Castle of the Dukes of Pomerania and a network of underground tunnels from World War II.
At the height of his fame earlier this year, he even survived a kidnapping attempt when a woman was captured on camera jumping into a taxi after trying to grab the 6-year-old’s famous moggy.
But his listing has now been removed from Google after locals raised concerns about his health, preventing tourists from flocking to the town to see and feed him.
Previously: Gacek received rave reviews from gracing fans in the Polish city of Szczecin
After: Photos of a revitalized, much thinner Gacek have been circulating online ever since
Poland’s most famous cat has been trying to lose weight and move off the street into a new home in recent months
Gacek amassed more than 3,000 Google user reviews at the height of his international fame.
Someone calling herself ‘josefita’ wrote: ‘best cat ever, very good boy, would 100% recommend. 10/10.’
Another called Fabian Webb wrote: ‘The best thing I’ve ever seen.’
Meanwhile, Amy Seabold said: “Amazing. Moving. Nice. Groundbreaking. 10/10, couldn’t recommend more.’
Ina posted: ‘I went to Sczeczin and had to meet this chubby cat.
‘He was friendly, but didn’t like having his picture taken. Still. Definitely worth meeting this feline resident. 5 stars of course.’
But because tourists constantly gave Gacek snacks, he grew in size, prompting the city’s animal shelter to urge people not to feed him.
In April, the city’s Animal Welfare Association took him in for treatment after he had problems with his teeth and joints.
A vet also advised him to lose 4-5 kg of weight.
And last month the organization announced that Gacek was ‘doing well and had found a new home.’
The Animal Welfare Association posted a photo of the slimmed down Gacek on social media and wrote: ‘I am not Gacek anymore. From today on, call me George… George Clooney in the cat version, yes that’s the new me!
‘I’m fit and I’m good at it. I run up and down the stairs and jump on the counter.”
One delighted fan wrote: ‘You’ve always been beautiful but now you’ve gone too far.’
Another commented: ‘How handsome is he?!?
Another simply said: ‘Puurrfect!’
The superstar cat is now helping the local animal shelter raise money to care for other cats.
Gacek was once the top-rated ‘tourist attraction’ in the city of Szczecin, ahead of the award-winning Philharmonic, the Castle of the Pomeranian Dukes and a network of underground tunnels
Ale bydlę! Locals were concerned that Gacek’s popularity was causing him to become quite fat
Famous fat cat Gacek speaks to the media at the height of his popularity as he worries he has overzealously enjoyed the spoils of his fame – with visitors pouring in with treats
In March, MailOnline reported that a cat thief had been thwarted in her attempt to steal Gacek – after being chased away by locals.
The woman was caught on camera after trying to grab the 6-year-old famous moggy in the city of Szczecin.
Jumping into a taxi after Gacek escaped by hiding under a nearby car, the wannabe catnapper is now being shamed on social media.