On the 2nd Sunday of May, the Ieper Kattestoet takes place each year. Until 1817, live cats were thrown down from the bell tower. In 1938, the throwing of cats was reintroduced with plush cats.
The origin of this tradition would date back to 962 when Count Baldwin III ordered that every year 3 live cats be thrown from the towers of the house "De Korte Meers". This was needed to ward off evil. This idea turns out to be not so unique as this tradition also exists in Amiens, France.
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