In the Polish city of Szczecin, a fat cat named 'Gacek' has become the most popular attraction. On Google Maps, the black-and-white cat gets a pristine five-star rating.
Gacek is pronounced gats-ek and means "long-eared bat" in Polish. Gacek is a free-roaming cat who lives in a box on Kaszubska St, according to the NZ Herald.
The feline has surpassed the city's other tourist attractions, including the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle, which was established in 1346.
According to wSzczecinie, a local news site, the kitty lives in a wooden box and gets lots of goodies from passers-by.
The cat first drew attention in 2020, according to the blog, Notes From Poland. Tourists from neighboring Germany shared a video of the cat on social media, garnering 4.5 million views. Since then, visitors from all over the world have flocked to Poland to view the cat.
The cat's popularity has only risen since then.
Gacek's purportedly had nearly 2600 reviews, but it was erased. Insider reported that a new listing received over 500 reviews and an average 5-star rating in its first 48 hours.
According to Google evaluations, people have travelled from all around Poland and even other countries to meet him in person (or fur).
Several people were concerned about Gacek's bulk, which is exacerbated by visitors who bring food.
According to the news website Gazeta.pl, a local animal sanctuary has begged people not to feed the renowned cat, and a sign opposite his house instructs visitors to only give goodies in unopened packets so his owner can open them.
Gacek isn't the only animal to become viral as a tourist attraction in Poland on Google. In 2021, the highest-rated tourist attraction was a dog who frequently hung out on a balcony in Gdask.