“Hello Kitty is not a cat,” Jill Koch, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Management at Sanrio, told the Today show on Thursday, ahead of the brand’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
“She’s actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London. She has a mom and dad and a twin sister Mimmy — who is also her best friend.”
Given the feline-like representation of Hello Kitty, fans were rightfully confused by the revelation, taking to a video posted by the Today show on TikTok to share their thoughts and feelings on the matter.
“I can’t do this today”, wrote one baffled user.
“Today was rough enough without this information,” another said.
“So she has whiskers, ears, and is named ‘Kitty,’ but is actually human? What?” another commented.
“Her name is lit Hello KITTY,” another said.
Another asked, “Why does the little girl have whiskers??”
And others were truly mind-blown by the nationality of the cartoon, “She’s British?!” one asked.
“Wait she is not from Japan…” another added.
Back in 2014 for the cartoon’s 40th anniversary, Sanrio explained Hello Kitty’s identity as a little girl and her feline features. “She is a friend. But she is not a cat,” Yano said. “She’s never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature. She does have a pet cat of her own, however, and it’s called Charmmy Kitty.”
