Soft tissue paper having a softening composition containing an extensional viscosity modifier deposited thereon

Disclosed is a composition for softening an absorbent tissue and tissue structures softened using the composition. The composition includes an effective amount of a softening active ingredient; a vehicle in which the softening active ingredient is dispersed; an electrolyte dissolved in the vehicle; a bilayer disrupter and a high polymer. The electrolyte and the bilayer disrupter cooperate to cause the viscosity of the composition to be less than the viscosity of a dispersion of the softening active ingredient in the vehicle alone. The high polymer adds "stringiness" to the composition opening the air pressure operating window for spray application of the softening composition. Preferably, the softening active ingredient is a quaternary ammonium compound with the formula: (R1)4-m-N+-[(CH2)n-Y-R3]mX-the vehicle is water, the electrolyte is calcium chloride, the bilayer disrupter is a nonionic surfactant, and the high molecular weight polymer is a nonionic polyacrylamide.