Gacek, a chubby black and white cat, has become famous on the internet and is attracting a lot of tourists to the otherwise rather unknown town of Szczecin, Poland.

The famous cat often lies on his blanket in a wooden box with an opening in the front, built by his owner and where he has lived for more than 10 years on Kazubska Street.

His house has become the highest rated attraction on Google Maps for Szczecin.

Having received dozens of five-star reviews, the “Kot Gacek” (Gacek the Cat) map pin, near a shop selling bags with his face on it, has outsold attractions such as a Renaissance castle.

“Gacek is the Kim Kardashian of the cat world,” says Karolina Novak, manager of the official TikTok account for the West Pomeranian region where Szczecin is located.

@pomorzezachodnie #Kot 🐱 #Gacek #królśródmieścia dzisiaj świętuje wraz z innymi kotkami 🐈 #światowydzieńkota #dzieńkota ♬ tiktok ・ Song sung by a cat(932399) – Kids Sound

Simon Maksimyuk, who works at the city’s tourist office, says the stories of people traveling specifically to see Gacek are “unbelievable”.

“There was a guy from Norway who took a flight. He claimed that Gacek made him make the decision to come here,” he says and continues: “Thanks to Gacek, tourism has grown tremendously, far beyond my expectations or imagination.”

Some fans attribute the cat’s fame to its confidence and cute face, others say it’s its celebrity that draws visitors to a city already known for its Pomeranian Dukes’ Castle, parks and scenic riverside setting.

Gacek is not the first animal to attract tourists to a Polish city. In 2021, a golden retriever had become Gdansk’s top-rated tourist attraction on Google.