Childhood ruined: Hello Kitty is NOT a cat

MANILA, Philippines - During an interview for the Los Angeles Times, anthropologist Christine Yano, who is currently curating an exhibit on Hello Kitty at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, said something that tore everyone's childhood apart.

Apparently, the whole world has been under a great lie. The adorable "feline" that has been a symbol of pop culture, Hello Kitty, is APPARENTLY NOT A CAT. Fans just got their hearts ripped into pieces.

In an explanation, she said that she was steadfastly corrected by Sanrio, stating firmly, “Hello Kitty is not a cat. She’s a cartoon character. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. 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.”

Regardless of whether or not she's a girl or a cat, she remains as a strong figure that represents the Japanese, an identity marker, especially for those who grew up in 1970s.

Here are other facts about Hello Kitty, according to Sanrio, which all Hello Kitty fans should know:

• She is a bright, bright girl with a golden heart.
• She was born in the suburbs of London, England.
• Her real name is Kitty White.
• She is as tall as five apples, and as heavy as three.
• Her birthday is November 1st.
• She is a Scorpio.
• She loves to bake cookies.
• She loves to play piano.
• She dreams of being a pianist or poet someday.
• She loves mama’s apple pie.
• She has a twin sister named Mimmy, a third-grader.
• She has a pet hamster named Sugar and a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty.

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