Is Hello Kitty Not A Cat? Fans Shocked, Childhood Beliefs Shattered

People begin questioning their entire childhood beliefs on the proclamation that Hello Kitty, the famous and cherished cartoon character created by Sanrio in 1974 is not a cat. The news comes ahead of the celebration of the golden anniversary of Hello Kitty this year. Fans are astonished after learning the fact that their beloved cartoon character is not a cat, infact it is not even a feline.

Creators declare the dispiriting news

In an appearance on the Today Show, Sanrio director of retail business development Jill Koch said: “Hello Kitty is not a cat.”

“She’s actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs in London,” Koch added. “She has a mom and dad and a twin sister Minnie, who is also her best friend. She enjoys baking cookies and making new friends.”

Concurrently, the endearing cartoon character is the one who “weighs three apples” and stands five apples tall.

'She is a friend. But she is not a cat, she’s never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature. However, she does have a pet cat, and it’s called Charmmy Kitty," anthropologist and author Christine R. Yano explained to The Los Angeles Times.

Created by Sanrio employee Yuko Shimizu in 1974, Hello Kitty first appeared on a children’s coin purse in 1975, and in the subsequent decades, the character has become a beloved character, globally known for her sweet and wholesome disposition. Not only that, but her creation has also generated Sanrio more than $80 billion to date.

Hello Kitty is not a cat, according to the Director of Retail Business Development at Hello Kitty’s flagship company:

“Hello Kitty is not a cat. She’s actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London.” pic.twitter.com/4r4d6NMlJO

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 18, 2024

The announcement evoked chaos and doubts in the minds of netizens sparking a myriad of emotions in fans. Some questioned, "She has cat ears and whiskers???” 

Another fan named Emily Lazar posted on X how she needed "answers" and questioned whether Hello Kitty has been "Larping this whole time?", Larping is when "participants portray characters in an imaginary environment and interact with one another in real-time," according to a report.

In a follow-up X post, Lazar also replies to another user who said Hello Kitty is "a girl cat and nothing will ever change my mind." She responded by saying, "Yeah for my own sanity and childhood I'm sticking to that lol."

Another revelation comes up on Kitty's 50th Birthday that the cartoon's disposition is not even of Japanese descent despite her being introduced initially in Japan. The astonishing distinctions of the cartoon have occupied minds of all the fans who held an obsession with Hello Kitty depicted through their usage of stationery items and much more.

While fans remain surprised, one factor remains constant: Hello Kitty as a cartoon has never failed to be adored for her portrayal of emotions like friendship, support, kindness and inclusivity.