Hello Kitty is not a cat, creators say

Hello Kitty, the iconic Japanese character, is in fact not a cat, according to Sanrio, the company that created the brand, leaving fans around the world shocked.

Jill Koch, the senior vice president of marketing and brand management at Sanrio, said on NBC's Today Show: "Hello Kitty is not a cat... she's actually a little girl."

Fans were shocked to learn that the character, which is celebrating it's 50th anniversary having been created in 1974, was a child and not an animal, who enjoys baking cookies and making new friends.

Koch also said that the character was born and raised in the suburbs of London, leaving many fans confused about Hello Kitty's Japanese origin. 

The Hello Kitty brand has annual retail sales of $5 billion and has become one of the world's most recognisable characters.