Gacek

Gacek ( Polish : ) is a male domestic cat with tuxedo fur, which over the years 2020–2023 became a prominent tourist attraction in the city of Szczecin, Poland. The feline maintained a five star rating on Google Maps. He was born around 2013 according to reports by local residents who claimed to have started seeing him since then.

Popularity
This animal's fame began when a German tourist uploaded a video showcasing Gacek's story on YouTube which went viral and reached over 4.5 million views. Gacek is a feral cat, but he was most often found resting in a wooden booth built specially for him on Kaszubska Street, in downtown Szczecin. The cat attracted the attention of tourists, including foreigners. Some people visited Szczecin specifically to meet Gacek, who has been dubbed the "King of Kaszubska Street".

Reuters has called Gacek the "Kim Kardashian of the cat world", because of the many Gacek-themed souvenirs for sale along Kaszubska Street. International media has written about Gacek, including The Washington Post, The Independent, The Guardian, Euronews, Business Insider, The Telegraph, India Times, and The New Zealand Herald.

On March 20, 2023, an attempted kidnapping of Gacek took place. The attempt failed as Gacek hid under a nearby car. The kidnapper fled.

In April 2023, Gacek was admitted to the Polish Institute for Animal Care (Towarzystwo Opieki nad Zwierzętami w Polsce – TOZ) and was temporarily unavailable. Gacek was forced to be treated at TOZ due to his obesity. His weight reached 10 kg, far above the weight of a normal cat, which ranges from 5–6 kg. The cat also suffered from several other health problems, such as gingivitis and arthritis. He was monitored by a professional veterinarian for slimming therapy and couldn't be found roaming freely on Kaszubska Street.

Due to Gacek's fame, the city government of Szczecin proposed a project to commemorate him through a monument and information boards, as well as the neutering of 500 stray cats in early 2024. The cost of this project is estimated at 180,000 Złoty.

In September 2023, it was announced that Gacek found a new permanent home and lost weight after following a diet. Gacek also initiated an online fundraising campaign named "Gacek buys food for the homeless" to raise funds to feed homeless animals. As of November 2023, over PLN 9,500 of the PLN 9,000 target sum has been raised.