Cat's got the Monopoly! Fans vote to axe board game's iron token and replace it with a kitten in global Facebook poll

• First time in trading game's history that fans have had say on the tokens
• Vote attracted firms that tried to protect tokens that reflect their products
• Iron introduced with the first Parker Brothers iteration of the game in 1935

By Simon Tomlinson

Published: 08:43 EDT, 6 February 2013 | Updated: 12:23 EDT, 6 February 2013

The humble cat has beaten off competition from robots, a guitar and a helicopter to become the newest token on the Monopoly board - but the iron is being axed.

Millions of Monopoly fans worldwide voted on Facebook after the manufacturer launched its first public poll to choose which of the eight tokens to ditch, and what to replace it with.

The iron, which has featured in the game since the 1930s, secured just 8 per cent of a vote and will now be removed.

But the cat, regarded as a dead cert to win because of their huge popularity online, came top with 31 per cent of the poll.

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Purr-fect addition: The newest Monopoly token, a cat, rests on a Boardwalk deed next to a die and houses after being voted in to the game by fans on Facebook

Out with the old: Fans voted to ditch the iron, were introduced with the first Parker Brothers iteration of the game in 1935

The new choice received mixed reviews, with Dillon Lane posting: 'What? The cat? I demand a recount!!!' 

But Eve Conolly wrote: 'Yay, down with ironing and hooray for kittens!'

The new token is expected to make its debut in mid- to late 2013. Until then, fans can still buy games with the old tokens.

The results were revealed after the shoe, wheelbarrow and iron were neck-and-neck in the final hours of voting that sparked passionate efforts by fans to save their favorite tokens and businesses eager to capitalise on publicity surrounding pieces that represent their products.

The pieces identify the players and have changed quite a lot since Parker Brothers bought the game from its original designer in 1935.

Rhode Island-based Hasbro announced the new piece Wednesday morning.

Other pieces that contested for a spot on Monopoly included a robot, diamond ring, helicopter and guitar. Fans from more than 120 countries voted.

'We put five new tokens out for our fans to vote on and there were a lot of fans of the many different tokens, but I think there were a lot of cat lovers in the world that reached out and voted for the cat to be the new token for Monopoly,' said Jonathan Berkowitz, vice president for Hasbro gaming marketing.

The online contest to change the tokens was sparked by chatter on Facebook, where Monopoly has more than 10 million fans.

Go kitty!The cat joins the race car, Scottie dog, a shoe, thimble, top hat, wheelbarrow and battleship in the trading game

Democratic: Posters were circulated encouraging players to vote for their favourite Monopoly pieces

'The initiative was intended to ensure that a game created nearly eight decades ago remains relevant and engaging to fans today.

'Tokens are always a key part of the Monopoly game ... and our fans are very passionate about their tokens, about which token they use while they play,' Berkowitz said.

Monopoly's iconic tokens originated when the niece of game creator Charles Darrow suggested using charms from her charm bracelet for tokens.

The game is based on the streets of Atlantic City, N.J., and has sold more than 275 million units worldwide.

To make the game relevant to fans abroad, the names are changed to well-known streets in when it is introduced to a new country.

Historic: Monopoly's iconic pieces originated when the niece of game creator Charles Darrow suggested using charms from her charm bracelet

The eight tokens are an iron, racecar, Scottie dog, a shoe, thimble, top hat, wheelbarrow and battleship.

Most of the pieces were introduced with the first Parker Brothers iteration of the game in 1935, and the Scottie dog and wheelbarrow were added in the early 1950s.

The social-media buzz created by the Save Your Token Campaign attracted numerous companies that pushed to protect specific tokens that reflect their products.

That includes garden tool maker Ames True Temper Inc. of Camp Hill, Penn., that spoke out in favor of the wheelbarrow and created a series of online videos that support the tool and online shoe retailer Zappos which pushed to save the shoe, Berkowitz said.

'We've even had some companies like Jolly Time Pop Corn reach out and petition to have a popcorn token added to the game, even though that's not one of the new five tokens,' he said.

Versions of Monopoly with the new token will come out later this year.

VIDEO: Purr-fect result! Cat named as new monopoly piece