Hello Kitty Is Not a Cat and it’s Disturbing
Goodbye, Kitty.
During the festivities for Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary—which officially falls on November 1—admirers of the beloved cartoon character created by Yuko Shimizu were surprised to discover that she is not actually a feline.
“Hello Kitty is not a cat,” explained Jill Cook, the Director of Retail Business Development at Sanrio, the company behind Hello Kitty, in an interview on Today on July 18. “She is actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London. She has a mom, dad, and a twin sister named Mimmy, who is also her best friend.”
Naturally, this revelation, though not completely unknown, left some fans a bit puzzled. Despite having whiskers and ears, Hello Kitty, with her little red bow and lack of a mouth, gives the impression of being a cat.
“So she has whiskers, ears, and is named ‘Kitty’ but is actually a human?” one fan expressed on TikTok after watching the Today clip. “What?”
For some, this fun fact completely altered their perspective.
“Hello Kitty has been my favorite since childhood,” another fan shared. “I’m almost 40 and this is the first time I’m hearing this.”