Hello Kitty, brace yourselves, is not actually a cat, according to its creators.
The iconic character, created by Japanese company Sanrio, is celebrating her 50th anniversary this year, and with it has come some shocking revelations that may leave you feline confused.
She’s one of the most beloved cartoon characters on the planet, with annual sales of around $5 billion, but it turns out Hello Kitty isn’t even her real name.
“She’s actually a girl who was born and raised in the suburbs of London,” said Jill Cook, director of retail business development at Sanrio. NBC today.
‘She has a mom, a dad and a twin sister, Mimmy, who is also her best friend.’
Hello Kitty’s creators have revealed that she is not actually a cat. Pictured: Hello Kitty collection for Somerset House’s CUTE exhibition
Her real name is Kitty White and, despite having whiskers and cat ears, she is a human girl.
Ms Cook said: “Her core message is friendship, kindness and inclusion, and part of what has helped her transcend borders, languages and cultures is that it’s relatable to everyone.”
In fact, Kitty has her own pet, a cat named Charmmy Kitty, a boyfriend named Dear Daniel, and “hundreds” of friends.
Her hobbies include traveling and baking, and she hopes to become a pianist or poet when she grows up, while Daniel hopes to be a cameraman.
Christine R. Yano, author of Pink Globalisation: Hello Kitty’s Trek Across the Pacific, previously confirmed that Hello Kitty is not a cat, writing: “A lot of people don’t know the story and a lot of people don’t care.”
According to Sanrio’s official website, Hello Kitty’s parents are named George and Mary, her blood type is A, and her zodiac sign is Scorpio.
The character is a much-loved cartoon character among children, but despite having whiskers and cat-shaped ears, he is supposed to be a human child.
But people on social media didn’t take the news without a fight, with many refusing to believe that Hello Kitty isn’t a cat.
One baffled TikTok user, @speechprof, said: “Is Hello Kitty trying to trick us? She has whiskers and cat ears. She’s a cat. Am I in a fever dream right now?”
Others said: “Is her name Hello Kitty? Like a kitten!”
“As a 30-year-old man who had literally never thought about Hello Kitty before, I didn’t think “Hello Kitty is 100% a cat” would be the decision I would die for. But here we are.”
“She’s a cat. I don’t care if Hello Kitty herself tells me she’s not a cat. My inner 80’s child says SHE’S A CAT”;
“What is this woman thinking? She’s a cat and she’s not going to change.”
One even compared it to “when the GIF creator said it was pronounced JIFF.”
A TikTok user, @speechprof, led the rebellion against Hello Kitty not being a cat, saying fans were being “misled”
Fans were adamant that Hello Kitty is a cat, no matter what the creators say.
However, her creators have pointed out that, unlike a real cat, Hello Kitty never walks on all fours.
The cat-shaped character was created in 1974 and made his first appearance on a coin purse the following year.
The children’s icon has his own TV show and even a theme park in Tokyo, while a live-action film was announced in 2019.
Celebrities adore her and even King Charles wished her a happy birthday last month during the Japanese royals’ state visit to the UK.
Even Kim Kardashian threw a Hello Kitty-themed birthday party for her daughter Chicago, while Drake sported a Hello Kitty headband.