Hello Kitty! Here’s the ‘demon cat’ that’s captivated (and terrified) Japan

A black cat with long ear-fur resembling horns has caused quite a stir in Japan’s cyberspace.

Photos of the feline fiend have spread across the internet, prompting a surge of comments, shares and likes from users of the website etoday.net.

Cats are well-known for their cold, somewhat devilish traits, and Japan has a history of popular moggy mythology including the maneki-neko, the ‘beckoning cat’ talisman often seen in restaurant windows, and nekomata, the collective name for a group of supernatural cats which feature in Japanese folklore.

In contemporary culture Hello Kitty, the cute cat cartoon designed by Japanese company Sanrio in the 1970s, is a staple figure. Perhaps she’s finally met her match!