For several years, one of Szczecin's most recognisable landmarks was not a building, monument or museum. He was a black-and-white cat sleeping in a wooden shelter on ul. Kaszubska. His name, Gacek, is Polish for a bat. But this particular Gacek spent his days on four paws, strolling around in central Szczecin.
Gacek became an unlikely ambassador for Szczecin after photographs and videos of him spread online, eventually attracting international media attention and visitors who travelled to the city hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
Today, the famous cat is no longer living on the street. Gacek is alive and well, settled into a permanent home and enjoying a considerably quieter life. His story, however, continues to be visible around Szczecin.
From Kaszubska Street to the world
Gacek was documented living around ul. Kaszubska from at least 2013. Over the years, he became a familiar sight in the neighbourhood, with a wooden shelter provided for him outside one of the buildings.
His relaxed attitude towards people was part of his appeal. Gacek seemed perfectly content to sleep, eat and observe the world around him while people stopped to take photographs.
The turning point came in 2020, when local news website wSzczecinie.pl published a video about him. It proved remarkably popular, eventually reaching millions of viewers across Facebook and YouTube.
The story soon travelled well beyond Szczecin.
International publications including The Washington Post, The Guardian, People and Reuters reported on the cat from Kaszubska Street. Gacek became one of those unusual internet stories that needed almost no translation: a famously unimpressed cat, a city street and a growing crowd of admirers.
Szczecin's unlikely Google Maps celebrity
At the height of his fame in 2023, Gacek became particularly famous for his Google Maps listing.
Thousands of users reviewed the location associated with him, giving the cat an exceptionally high rating. For a period, Gacek was reported as the highest-rated attraction in Szczecin on the platform.
That produced some amusing comparisons with the city's established sights. Visitors could spend the day exploring the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle, the Szczecin Philharmonic and the city's historic streets, then head to Kaszubska Street to look for a cat.
Some people came specifically for Gacek.
His story was even picked up by international travel media as an example of the increasingly unpredictable ways that social media can influence tourism.
Fame came with a price
The attention was not entirely positive for Gacek.
As more people visited, many brought food and treats. His weight increased and concerns grew about the effect that his celebrity status was having on his health.
In spring 2023, Gacek was taken into the care of animal welfare professionals. He was placed on a controlled diet and began adapting to life away from the street.
For a cat that had spent years outdoors, the change was significant. The crowds disappeared, but so did the constant supply of food and the risks associated with living in a busy city centre.
A quieter life for Gacek
Gacek eventually found a permanent home.
A January 2026 report by wSzczecinie.pl said that the city's most famous feline was doing very well. He had lost weight, adapted surprisingly well to domestic life, enjoyed sleeping on a bed and had a feline companion. His diet still needed monitoring, particularly because he remained very interested in food.
His days are now far removed from the crowds of Kaszubska Street. Gacek is no longer a street attraction, and he will not be returning to his former outdoor home.
But that has not stopped his story from developing.
The cafΓ© that carries Gacek's name
In December 2024, Kawiarnia Kota Gacka opened at ul. Kaszubska 17/u1, close to the place where Gacek once lived.
The cafΓ© was established with a clear connection to his story. It combines a cafΓ© with a temporary home for cats and a base for animal-welfare and educational activities.
Its feline residents can be adopted, giving visitors an opportunity to meet cats that are looking for permanent homes. The project was created around the idea that Gacek's journey from street life to a comfortable home could encourage more people to consider adoption.
It is a fitting use for the location. Where people once gathered to photograph one famous cat, they can now meet cats that genuinely need homes.
Gacek on the walls of Szczecin
Gacek's image has also returned to the city's streets in another form.
In 2025, a large mural depicting the black-and-white celebrity appeared at ul. RugiaΕska 34-35.
The artwork was created using photocatalytic paints, which can help reduce certain air pollutants when activated by light. The mural was part of a wider regional ecological art initiative.
It gives Gacek a permanent presence in Szczecin without putting the real cat back in the middle of a tourist crowd.
The mural also adds another chapter to a story that started with something very ordinary: a cat finding a place to sleep on a Szczecin street.
A very Szczecin kind of celebrity
Gacek's popularity says something interesting about the way people discover cities.
He was never a historic monument or a planned tourist attraction. There was no admission fee, opening time or official visitor programme. His fame grew naturally through local affection, photography, social media and the curiosity of people who wanted to see the cat they had encountered online.
For Szczecin, the story brought an unusual kind of international attention.
Someone searching for Gacek could easily end up discovering Kaszubska Street, the city centre, Szczecin's cafΓ©s, architecture and other attractions along the way.
But perhaps the most satisfying part of the story is where Gacek ended up.
The cat who once drew crowds from around the world is now living quietly at home. His name remains on a cafΓ©, his face is painted on a Szczecin wall and his story continues to be shared, but the celebrity himself gets to enjoy something considerably less glamorous.
A bed, a full food bowl and a peaceful retirement.
See more: Crooked Forest Near Szczecin: The Enduring Mystery of Krzywy Las
Sources: wSzczecinie.pl, visitszczecin.eu
Image credit: Felipe Tofani, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 / P0godniak, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
