Sanrio has officially revealed a surprising fact about their iconic character, Hello Kitty.

Jill Koch, Director of Retail Business Development at Sanrio, clarified on the Today Show on July 18 that Hello Kitty is not a cat.

"She’s actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London. She has a mom, dad, and a twin sister Mimmy—who is also her best friend," Jill explained.

This announcement comes amid preparations for Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary, set to be celebrated on November 1.

This clarification, however, isn't entirely new. The same fact caused a stir back in 2014 during preparations for a Hello Kitty exhibit at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.

Anthropologist Christine R. Yano, who authored "Pink Globalization: Hello Kitty’s Trek Across The Pacific," was corrected by Sanrio. Christine was told "very firmly" that Hello Kitty is a little girl, not a cat.

“She’s a cartoon character,” Christine explained to the Los Angeles Times. “She’s never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature.”

Despite the confusion over her identity, Hello Kitty’s universal appeal remains undisputed.

“Her core message is friendship, kindness, and inclusivity,” Jill said on Today. “Part of what has helped her transcend borders, languages, and cultures is that that’s understandable to everyone.”

Fan reactions to the revelation were mixed, with many expressing disbelief on social media.

“So if she’s a little girl, how come her head is cat-shaped?” one commenter wrote on YouTube.

Another fan posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, “I can’t believe I’m being gaslit into thinking that’s not a cat. It’s a cat and it’s been a cat all my childhood.”

On the same thread, another user wrote, “That’s like saying Peppa Pig is not a pig but a girl.”

A comment on Facebook read, “You can’t change our minds this late in the game. She’s a cat. Keropi is a frog... and so on.”

Hello Kitty’s creator, Yuko Shimizu, designed the character in 1974, and she first appeared on a children’s coin purse in 1975. Over the decades, Hello Kitty has become a beloved figure worldwide, generating over $80 billion for Sanrio. Her image appears on approximately 50,000 products sold across 130 countries.

In addition to the character’s widespread commercial success, Hello Kitty has also become a cultural icon. Singer Katy Perry has a Hello Kitty tattoo, and the character has appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for several years. Fans can visit the Hello Kitty Land theme park in Tokyo, and special events are planned to celebrate her 50th anniversary, including a limited-edition Hello Kitty ice cream flavor by Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.

Despite the ongoing debate about her identity, Hello Kitty’s message of friendship, kindness, and inclusivity continues to resonate with fans worldwide as they celebrate her 50 years of charm and joy.

- by Samantha Prats