Ypres and the cat
It is a well known fact that during the middle ages many cats were sacrificed in Europe.The cats were burnt, beaten to death or simply thrown to their death. It is not know whether the people in the middle ages wanted to punish the cat as disturber of the peace, renounce evil or simply continue the ritual of cat sacrifices …? Be that as it may, it is a historical fact that the Cat Festivities find their roots in age-old customs.
During the middle ages the Grote Markt in Ypres became overcrowded on Cat Wednesday (the last day of the annual fair). The city jester would throw live cats to their death from the belfry tower. With a few short or long interruptions Ypres has observed this cat throwing custom for centuries. The last time live cats were thrown was in 1817. In 1938 the tradition was revived by throwing velvet cats from the tower. However, the war threw a spanner in the works. From 1946 onwards the cat throwing was introduced by a small parade resulting in the condemnation of the cat on the Grote Markt. In 1955 the first major Cat Parade was introduced to the public. After 1958 the traditional date of the second Sunday in lent was switched to the second Sunday in May.The Cat Parade became an annual tradition with many milestones: important, even royal guests, guest appearances of twinned cat towns, the introduction of the Snoezepoezen (Cuddly Kitties), Eurovision broadcasts, new floats and new groups. In 1985 there was no parade as Ypres welcomed the Pope in May 1985. The 1991 parade was the last annual parade and the first of the three-yearly editions. From 1959 through 1989 a Cat Queen and her maids of honour were elected. The giant cats Cieper and Minneke Poes have been given new costumes.
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