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Hello Kitty is, brace yourselves, not actually a cat, according to her creators.
The iconic character, made by Japanese company Sanrio, is celebrating her 50th anniversary this year - and with it has come some shocking revelations that may leave you feline confused.
She is one of the most beloved cartoon characters on the planet with annual sales of around $5billion - but it turns out Hello Kitty isn't even her real name.
'She's actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London,' Jill Cook, director of retail business development at Sanrio, told NBC today.
'She has a mum and a dad and a twin sister Mimmy, who is also her best friend.'
Hello Kitty's creators have revealed she's not actually a cat. Pictured: Hello Kitty collection for Somerset House's CUTE exhibition
Her real name is actually Kitty White and, despite having whiskers and cat-shaped ears, she is a human child.
Ms Cook said: 'Her core message is friendship, kindness and inclusivity and part of what has helped her transcend borders, languages, cultures is that that's understandable to everyone.'
Kitty actually has her own pet cat called Charmmy Kitty, a boyfriend called Dear Daniel and 'hundreds' of friends.
Her hobbies include travelling and baking, and she hopes to become a pianist or poet when she grows up, while Daniel hopes to be a cameraman.
Christine R. Yano, author of Pink Globalisation: Hello Kitty's Trek Across the Pacific, previously confirmed that Hello Kitty isn't a cat, writing: 'A lot of people don't know the story and a lot don't care.'
According to Sanrio's official website, Hello Kitty's parents are called George and Mary, her blood type is A and she has Scorpio as her star sign.
The character is a beloved children's cartoon but despite having whiskers and cat-shaped ears is meant to be a human child
But people on social media did not accept the news without a fight, with many refusing to believe Hello Kitty isn't a cat.
One baffled TikTok user @speechprof said: 'Is Hello Kitty trying to gaslight us? She has whiskers and cat ears. She's a cat. Am I in a fever dream right now?'
Others said: 'Her name is Hello Kitty? As in a kitty cat!';
'As a 30yr old male, who has literally never thought about hello kitty before. i didn't think "hello kitty is 100% a cat" would be the hill i would die on. but here we are.';
'She is a cat. I don't care if Hello Kitty herself tells me she is not a cat. My inner child from the 80s says SHE IS A CAT';
'What is this woman trippin on, it's a cat and it won't change.'
One even compared it to 'when the creator of the GIF said it's pronounced JIFF.'
One TikTok user @speechprof led the rebellion against Hello Kitty not being a cat, saying fans were being 'gaslit'
Fans were adamant that Hello Kitty is a cat, no matter what the creators may say
However, her creators have pointed out that unlike an actual cat, Hello Kitty never walks on all-fours.
The cat-shaped character was created in 1974 and made her first appearance on a coin purse the following year.
The children's icon has her own TV show and even a theme park in Tokyo, while a live-action film announced in 2019.
She is beloved by celebrities, and was even wished a happy birthday by King Charles last month during the Japanese royals' state visit to the UK.
Even Kim Kardashian has hosted a Hello Kitty themed birthday party for her daughter Chicago's birthday, while Drake wore a headband featuring the character.
