weeeeeeeee! ©David~O
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Every three years, Ypres, Belgium celebrates cats in a grand parade. Yes that’s right, cats.
This year, marks the 43rd Kattenstoet Festival which will be held May 13th. The centerpiece of the festival is thousands of cats from the belfry tower being tossed onto the town square (don’t worry–they’re stuffed toy cats). The custom dates back to the 13th century when Ypres was inundated with cats. Tossing the cats from great heights was seen as the most effective means of cutting down on the animal population.
These days Ypres is more humane, and the town has the festival to thank for increased tourism. More on the history of “cat tossing” in Ypres, and details on this year’s festivities can be found here.