National Pawshake Day, It Should Be Called

Today (June 28) is National Handshake Day.  First of all, the name is all wrong.  It should be National Pawshake Day.  So let's get that sorted out right now.  Second, felines do NOT -- it bears repeating -- NOT -- shake paws.  That's a slobberdog trick to amuse humans.  We cats have much more dignity.

 Definitely a People Thing

 Okay, Where's My Treat?  I Get a Treat For Doing This, Right?

So NOT Going to Happen, Fella

We kitties greet others when we feel like it.  It's not an on-command thing.  And we don't greet with paws.  We touch noses or rub ankles with our bodies or give head-butts.  Greeting is on our terms, people--take it or leave it.

This holiday is celebrated, according to the online sources I examined, to encourage people to be friendlier and to recognize handshaking as a universal human greeting.  I think that last part is pretty much a done deal.  The handshake is as much a part of greeting (at least in western culture) as "hello."  Well, I guess folks shake hands to seal a deal.  It is a gesture of agreement.  But it is often a gesture of greeting.

For moi, I don't like having my paws touched by anybody.  Steer clear, or you'll discover that my claws protract as well as retract.

Better Wash Your Hands After Shaking a Slobberdog Paw -- Just Saying,

Cauli Le Chat

MPL Roving Reporter

Holiday News Beat

P.S.  The Secret Handshake (Luis Dubuc, who plays all the instruments and sings) is described as an "electronica/soul project."  More musicians were used during some live performances.  TSH self-released Dubuc's first full-length album in 2004 and, according to Dubuc's Twitter post (Sept. 21, 2011), TSH was "pretty much over" by 2011.  "TGIF" is from the album My Name Up in Lights (2009).

P.P.S.  Woody Guthrie was amused by a youngster's practice of shaking everybody's hand by way of introduction, so he wrote "Howdjadoo" to commemorate the experience.  [The song is included in the four CD set, The Asch Recordings, Vol. 1-4 (1999)].  Guthrie's legendary folk music was filled with social commentary and political insight, but he often just composed and performed cute little songs like this.  When he first heard the tune, Scowl-Face thought it was a commentary about politicians.  Ol' Scowlly over-thinks everything.  The song may have been written for one of Guthrie's children, but its origins remain unclear, according to the liner notes to The Asch Recordings four CD set.