Meet Gacek, the fat stray cat that's the top tourist attraction in this Polish city
Published on: Wednesday, February 22, 2023
By: Malay Mail
Tourists visiting Szczecin, Poland are looking for Gacek, a black and white tom cat. (Photo: Instagram/kotgacekeveryday via Malay Mail)
Kuala Lumpur: A well fed stray cat living on the street of a Polish city has become the top-rated tourist attraction.
Instead of historical landmarks and museums, tourists visiting the medieval city of Szczecin are looking up Gacek, a black and white tom cat, Daily Mail reported.
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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 tabby, who also has his own Instagram page and a section on Google Maps, has outshone them with his near perfect 5-star rating.
Locals said Gacek, whose name means 'long-eared bat' in Polish, first appeared on Kaszubska Street in downtown Szczecin 10 years ago.
His prominence rose in 2020 after local news site wSzczecinie posted videos of him.
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Gacekis is said to hang around tourists who took a liking to him and would feed him treats. causing him to become the chunky cat he is today.
While there had been concerns for his safety and those who have caused him to become overweight had come under criticism, it seems the 'King of Kaszubska Street' is content living in his wooden box outside a shop, whose owners take care of him.
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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 when he is out and about.
Gacek has been described as a 'fantastically handsome and superb fellow' but he has a tendency to scratch or steal food when he's in a bad mood.
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