People on the internet are in disbelief after learning that Hello Kitty is not a cat

Hello Kitty is a character that has been loved by kids and adults alike. It was created in 1974 and has been around 50 years. Until recently, the fans had thought that the character was a cat, but the company that created it, Sanrio, had something different to say. People on the internet are not ready to accept the truth and are sharing their disbelief.

Jill Koch, senior vice president of marketing and brand management at Sanrio, said in an interview with TODAY, "Hello Kitty is actually not a cat." She revealed, "She is a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London. She has a mom and dad and a twin sister, Mimmy. Mimmy is also her best friend. She enjoys baking and making new friends." Koch went on to give more information about the character. "She weighs three apples and she is five apples tall," she added.

Hello Kitty has her own pet called Charmmy Kitty and boyfriend, Dear Daniel, and hundreds of other friends. While talking about the message they want to spread through the character, Koch said, "The core message is kindness, friendship, and inclusivity, and part of what has helped her transit borders understandable to everyone." People on the internet were stunned after knowing that Hello Kitty is not a cat.

@typlayer commented, "Hello Kitty is a cat. She looks like a cat. And it said so in her name. Happy 50th anniversary! My sister was a fan of her." simoneswitt1040 wrote, "One question: If she's not a cat why is she called kitty and why does she look like a cat?" @user-pu1ul1hj5k expressed, "My mom is obsessed and she is older than me. She will always be convinced that Hello Kitty is a cat." @elainejsta shared, "Hello Kitty was always meant to represent a little girl. Think of her as (for lack of a better word) a fursona. Think about it. Her schoolmates are other animals, possibly representing a diverse group of school friends, and she also has a pet cat of her own (Charmmy Kitty). She's even dressed as a cat in costume in some pieces of art and merch in the past." @catherinetong4472 said, "Ohh shush...Hello Kitty is a kitty cat! I don't care what you say." 

Hello Kitty was created in 1974 by a 24-year-old Japanese illustrator, Yuko Shimizu, per BBC. She designed a white cat with a red bow in its hair and it only took a few days for her to complete. Shimizu said, "I had a young female assistant and I showed her both the front and side profiles and asked which she thought was cute. She said she thought the side profile was the cutest." At first, the design was released on small purses along with other cute characters. Hello Kitty design became the fastest-selling product for the company. The inspiration for the character came from the illustrator's childhood. She said, "When I was a child, I got a small white kitten from my father for a birthday present."