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The creators of a widely-recognised cartoon character have set the record straight. Japanese toymaker Sanrio said the iconic Hello Kitty is not a cat. The bombshell came following publicity for an upcoming exhibition on the character at an American museum. The curator of the exhibition, Christine R Yano, said she received a mail from Sanrio correcting her script for the show. It said: "Hello Kitty is not a cat. She is a little girl. She is a friend….She's never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature." Sanrio adds: "Kitty is a bright little girl with a heart of gold."

Hello Kitty has become amazingly popular since its introduction in 1974. It has become ubiquitous, used on everything from chopsticks to airplanes. A Japanese carmaker even sold a specially branded Hello Kitty car. It had Kitty upholstery, a speedometer with the character's face on the glass and a Kitty-shaped gear stick. The creators said the character represents cuteness. Sanrio said she has no mouth because she speaks with her heart. Social media has been full of comments on the news that Kitty is a girl. A rapper tweeted: "This is worse than finding out Pluto is not a planet."