Gacek
{{For|people with the surname|Gacek (surname)}}
{{Short description|Famous cat in Poland}}
{{Infobox animal
| name = Gacek
| image = Gacek_on_the_walk.jpg
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| caption = Gacek in Szczecin street.
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| species = Felis catus
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| gender = Male
| birth_date = ca. 2013
| birth_place = Szczecin
| nationality = Poland
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| known = Szczecin's top tourist attraction
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}}
Gacek (Polish: {{IPAc-pl|'|g|a|c|e|k}}) is a male domestic cat with tuxedo fur. Between 2020 and 2023, this homeless cat was a tourist attraction in Szczecin, Poland. In 2020, a video of Gacek was distributed around the world on social media. Tourists came to see Gacek in his usual location on Kaszubska street. He became over-fed, suffering obesity related conditions. Gacek was rescued by an animal shelter and recovered his health.{{Cite web |last=Pyka |first=Agata |date=2023-11-14 |title=Street cat who became Polish city’s top-rated tourist attraction finds new home |url=https://notesfrompoland.com/2023/11/14/street-cat-who-became-polish-citys-top-rated-tourist-attraction-finds-new-home/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Notes From Poland |language=en-US}}
Popularity
Local residents recall first seeing Gacek on Kaszubska street in the town centre in about 2013.{{Cite web |url=https://www.national-geographic.pl/traveler/artykul/kot-gacek-to-najwieksza-atrakcja-szczecina-futrzakiem-zachwyca-sie-caly-swiat |language=pl |title=Kot Gacek zniknął z ulicy Kaszubskiej. Wiemy, gdzie przebywa futrzak |website=national-geographic.pl |author=Igor Szulim |date=4 April 2023 |access-date=19 November 2023}} A wooden booth was built there to give him shelter.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-20 |title=Fat black and white cat becomes Polish city's hottest tourist attraction |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/poland/gacek-fat-cat-szczecin-poland-b2285619.html |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=The Independent |language=en}} In 2020, a German tourist uploaded a video of Gacek to YouTube.{{Cite web |last=Tilles |first=Daniel |date=2023-02-09 |title=Cat becomes Polish city's top-rated tourist attraction |url=https://notesfrompoland.com/2023/02/09/cat-becomes-polish-citys-top-rated-tourist-attraction/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=Notes From Poland |language=en-US}} The video was shared to millions of viewers around the world.{{Cite web |last=Tilles |first=Daniel |date=2023-02-09 |title=Cat becomes Polish city's top-rated tourist attraction |url=https://notesfrompoland.com/2023/02/09/cat-becomes-polish-citys-top-rated-tourist-attraction/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Notes From Poland |language=en-US}}
The international news media reported Gacek's popularity.{{Cite news |last=Free |first=Cathy |date=2023-03-11 |title=This Polish city's top tourist attraction? A stray cat. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/03/09/poland-cat-gacek-google-maps-szczecin/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web |author=Arwa Mahdawi |date=22 February 2023 |title=Would you travel thousands of miles to see an obese cat? How about an avian love triangle? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/22/would-you-travel-thousands-of-miles-to-see-an-obese-cat-how-about-an-avian-love-triangle |access-date=19 November 2023 |website=theguardian.com}}{{Cite web |author=Rebecca Ann Hughes |date=15 November 2023 |title=This Polish city's top-rated tourist attraction was a street cat until he was rehomed |url=https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/11/15/this-polish-citys-top-rated-tourist-attraction-was-a-street-cat-until-he-was-rehomed |access-date=19 November 2023 |website=euronews.com}} Reuters called Gacek the "Kim Kardashian of the cat world", because many Gacek-themed merchandised appeared for sale on the street.{{Cite news |date=2023-03-10 |title='Kim Kardashian of the cat world': Gacek draws tourists to Polish city |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/kim-kardashian-cat-world-gacek-draws-tourists-polish-city-2023-03-10/ |access-date=2023-08-29}}
On 20 March 2023, someone tried to grab Gacek but the cat escaped and the person fled.{{Cite web |last=Zając |first=Julia |date=2023-03-31 |title=Próbowała ukraść słynnego szczecińskiego kota Gacka! Na szczęście jej się nie udało |url=https://gs24.pl/probowala-ukrasc-slynnego-szczecinskiego-kota-gacka-na-szczescie-jej-sie-nie-udalo/ar/c1-17421623 |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=Głos Szczeciński |language=pl-PL}}
The Polish Institute for Animal Care (Towarzystwo Opieki nad Zwierzętami w Polsce), TOZ, admitted Gacek for care in April 2023. Gacek was 10 kg, about 4 kg overweight (about twice his expected size).{{Cite web |date=2023-04-05 |title=Gacek na ulicę już nie wróci. Słynny kot "emeryturę" spędzi w domu. Ma specjalne zadanie |url=https://www.tokfm.pl/Tokfm/7,189661,29634649,gacek-prawdopodobnie-nie-wroci-juz-na-ulice-slynny-kot-emeryture.html |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=TOK FM |language=pl}} He also had gingivitis and arthritis. Gacek was treated under the care of a veterinarian.{{Cite web |title=Gacek już nie wróci na ul. Kaszubską |url=https://24kurier.pl/ekurier/gacek-juz-nie-wroci-na-ul-kaszubska/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=24kurier.pl |language=pl}} Gacek recovered and was rehomed.{{Cite web |author=Jagoda Różycka |date=14 November 2023 |title=Kot Gacek, najwyżej oceniana atrakcja Szczecina, znalazł nowy dom. Jest nie do poznania |url=https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114883,30400876,ambasador-szczecina-znalazl-nowy-dom-teraz-kot-gacek-pomaga.html |access-date=19 November 2023 |website=gazeta.pl |language=pl}}
Controversy arose amongst fans of Gacek when Google Maps removed reviews of the cat's location.{{Cite news |title=Fat cat becomes Polish city's top tourist attraction |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/life/fat-cat-becomes-polish-city-s-top-tourist-attraction |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240922224716/https://www.straitstimes.com/life/fat-cat-becomes-polish-city-s-top-tourist-attraction |archive-date=2024-09-22 |access-date=2024-12-26 |work=The Straits Times |language=en}} The Straits Times reported allegations that Gacek had stolen a sausage and scratched a person's forearm.
Legacy
An online fundraising campaign in 2023 named "Gacek buys food for the homeless" secured over 9,500 Złoty for the care of homeless animals.{{Cite web |author=Laura Montoya |date=17 November 2023 |title=Street cat who became Szczecin's top-rated tourist attraction wows with stunning new look after losing weight and finding new home |url=https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/street-cat-who-became-szczecins-top-rated-tourist-attraction-wows-with-stunning-new-look-after-losing-weight-and-finding-new-home-42744 |access-date=19 November 2023 |website=thefirstnews.com}} In 2024, the Szczecin government proposed a 180,000 Złoty project to commemorate Gacek which would include a monument, information boards and the neutering of 500 stray cats.{{Cite web |title=CE/0006 – "Wiecznie żywy kot Gacek- rzeźba kota w rozmiarze rzeczywistym wraz z tablicą informacyjno-edukacyjną oraz kastracja 500 kotów wolnożyjących". |url=https://sbownioski.szczecin.eu/projekt/1211 |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=Budżet Obywatelski Szczecin 2024 |language=pl |archive-date=2023-08-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828162905/https://sbownioski.szczecin.eu/projekt/1211 |url-status=dead }}
The Kawiarnia Fundacji Kota Gacka (Kot Gacek's Foundation Cafe) opened on 13 December 2024. It aims to educate the public about cat care and rehome stray cats.{{Cite web |last=Wójcik |first=Leszek |date=2024-12-13 |title=Poznała go cała Polska. Kawiarnia kota Gacka w Szczecinie już otwarta [ZDJĘCIA] |url=https://gs24-pl.translate.goog/poznala-go-cala-polska-kawiarnia-kota-gacka-w-szczecinie-juz-otwarta-zdjecia/ar/c1-18994098?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Głos Szczeciński |language=pl-PL}}