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J xÂ¥ Well, I‘ve got the snowmobilers of Canada on my back, almost unanimously, after a recent colâ€" umn which suggested mildly that the machines are instruments of Satan at best, the finest tool for noiseâ€"stink pollution since the automobile took to the roads. . f That makes up about oneâ€"quarâ€" ter of my readers. This week I shall alienate another twoâ€"quarâ€" ters of them by giving my unvarâ€" nished opinion of cats. Cats, like snowmobiles have their uses. They‘re handy to have around a farm. where they help keep the vermin under control. They have, in the past, been just the thing for the proprietors of some chicken palaces, when the price of chicken was high. There were some in prison camp, presumably to keep down the rats. Their numbers were diminishing _ with _ increasing speed, until ‘ the German camp commandant issued the dictum: *‘*Prisoners will cease and desist killing and eating of longâ€"tailed rabbits." He had a sense of huâ€" mour. Which is more than you can say for a cat. Then, they are useful, when kit tens, for putting on calendars. Anc finally, I‘ll admit they provide company of sorts for lonelj people, who pamper them, stuf them with tidbits, and turn then from sleek felines into bloated contemptuous parasites who tak finally, I‘ll admit they provide company of sorts for lonely people, who pamper them, stuff them with tidbits, and turn them from sleek felines into bloated, contemptuous parasites who take over the best chair in the house, shed hair over everything, claw the rug and upholstery at will, and want out at five in the morning. If I should grow old and lonely, I would prefer a snake as a pet. Like cats, they just sleep and eat. They also eat mice. But they don‘t come fawning and whining and â€" rubbing fiercely _ against your legs when you‘re getting their food out. They don‘t want out in the middle of the night. And they don‘t get pregnant every six weeks. 40 YEARS AGO Feb. 26 W.D. (Pete) Brill, former Waâ€" terloo mayor, has been appointed secretary of the North Waterloo Automobile Club and issuer of motor vehicle licences for the disâ€" trict. Superintendent George Grosz of the public utilities commission has submitted figures totalling $11,764, which will be needed for equipment and materials during the year. Helen Merritt and Graham Hilâ€" liard, both of Waterloo, were memâ€" bers of the cast of the Gondoliers presented recently by the univerâ€" sity of Toronto Hart House. 30 YEARS AGO Feb. 21 The fire department extinguishâ€" ed a fire at the White Rose serâ€" vice station. The blaze started when fluid being used to clean the floor became mixed with gasoline and ignited. Fire Chief Albert Pagel has isâ€" sued a warning to motorists that fire trucks must be given the right of way. Drivers who have pulled out into the path of the vehicles even while the sirens were going, have been creating great hazards. Gwen Brooks of Bridgeport was hostess for the knitting class of the Dominion Rubber Co. Files of Yesteryear ers will ce and eating * He had Which is ir ke snowmobiles have They‘re handy to have farm. where they help vermin under control. , in the past, been just with incl the German issued the d rman camp the dictum: e and desist f longâ€"tailed sense of huâ€" landerer who comes along. Anc tom cats are just plain sex fiends In some ways, cats are like chil dren. When they‘re kittens, they ‘re sweet and loveable and cud dly. And always making a mess when they grow up, they mooch unashamedly, stay ou! mooch unashamedly, stay out half the night, sleep half the day. And are always making a mess. My wife isn‘t fond of cats, and I loathe them. But we always seem to be stuck with one. Daughâ€" ter Kim picks up a stray kitter and bring it home. With the deepâ€" est misgivings, we adopt the scrawny little wretch. They‘re always female, which we don‘ find out until too late. Then Kim breezes off some where, and we‘re guardians anc grandparents. There‘s no parley ing about birth control. Kim in sists that her protegee must ful fil her function as a female. Af Then Kim breezes off someâ€" where, and we‘re guardians and grandparents. There‘s no parleyâ€" ing about birth control. Kim inâ€" sists that her protegee must fulâ€" fil her function as a female. Afâ€" ter the drama of the delivery, and the period of nursing, we have a hysterectomy performed. And in about four months, the slim, sleek, pretty young thing is a great fat cat, knocking off tins and tins of cat food, producing nothâ€" ing except extreme irritation. The solution, of course, is to have her put away. But somehow I‘ve never been able to accept euthanasia. After all, you don‘t kill your kids, or even your parâ€" ents, just because they drive you wild. Many will not agree with me. But I got off to a bad start this week. All set to go to work Monday morning. Cat in back kitchen, with an odd look on her face. Threw her out. Went into the downstairs powder room, and there was the evidence. The proposed Central public school may run as high as $435,000 to $440,000 according to architects Jenkins and Wright. Robert Good was presented with the Joe Reidel trophy at a meeting of the Kâ€"W Flying Club. The award, presented for the first time, goes to the club pilot with the best record. 10 YEARS AGO > Feb. 23 Threw her out. Went into the lownstairs powder room, and here was the evidence. It‘s the only good thing I can say for them. At least they know enough to go to the bathroom. 20 YEARS AGO Feb. 23 Council advanced $5,000 to the Waterloo Arena to meet current outstanding obligations. Mayor Bauer predicted that taxâ€" payers can expect a tax hike this year because of substantial inâ€" creases in grant requests from various civic bodies, rising educaâ€" tional costs and lack of full assessâ€" ment revenue from the $ million Waterloo Square development. Council declined to recommend that the federal government lowâ€" er the age for old age pensions from 70 to 65 and abolish the means test Waterloo policemen have been offered a $120 salary increase, which if accepted, would bring a first class constable‘s salary to $4.620. ut we always th one. Daughâ€" a stray kitten With the deepâ€" ve adopt the etch. They‘re hich we don‘t § tent .+ 2s‘ Over 3,000tired, wornâ€"out, ‘unreliable hot water heaters in Waterloo have been replaced by the CASCADE 40! Join the thousands of happy homeowners that now enjoy the benefits of the all â€" new, economical, efficient and totally dependable CASCADE 40! Rent the CASâ€" CADEF, 40 for only $1.75monthly! 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