The Japanese character Hello Kitty is to lose her friend Cathy, bringing to an end a legal battle between Hello Kitty owners Sanrio and Mercis, which manages the copyright for Dick Bruna, creator of Miffy.

Mercis took Sanrio to court in November 2010 because Cathy looked too much like Miffy. The court agreed, but Sanrio lodged an appeal.
The two companies have now reached an out-of-court settlement. Cathy will disappear and the companies will jointly donate €150,000 to the victims of the earthquake in Japan earlier this year.