Q

Elvira digs her claws into Japan's new cat paw-scented hand cream

A special Monday edition of Elvira Kurt's Cultural Hall of Shame.
Elvira Kurt returns to q for a special Monday edition of the Cultural Hall of Shame. (Pascal Chiarello/CBC)

It's a special Monday edition of q's Cultural Hall of Shame with Elvira Kurt!

Today, Elvira shames a new hand cream that makes your hands smell like cat paws.

It's the latest cat-themed offering from Japanese retailer Felissimo, dreamed up by an employee who suggested a hand cream that makes your skin "as soft and squeezable as a cat's paw" — right down to the scent. The employees all agreed that the smell of their cats' paws was "mysteriously soothing" and should be incorporated into the cream.

So what does a cat paw smell like, anyway? After some extensive research and plenty of social media feedback, they settled on a final scent: popcorn. Elvira, however, conducted her own research and describes cat paw smell a little differently: "mouse kak, pigeon feather, and ammonia".

Japanese retailer Felissimo has released a new cat paw-scented hand cream. (Felissimo)