The 'Cat in the Hat' Is Suddenly a Threat

Authorities say this Dr. Seuss-inspired stunt isn't child's play. Police and school districts across the US are warning about a viral "Cat in the Hat" trend in which creepy or AI-generated versions of the character are used in social media posts to threaten schools and communities. The meme, which began on Snapchat in Ireland and the UK in August before spreading to North America, often shows the Cat lurking outside homes or campuses and sometimes includes named targets or specific schools, per the Guardian.

Several teens have been arrested or charged in states including Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Ohio, with police stressing that "jokes" that provoke fear can count as criminal threats or harassment. Some school districts have boosted police presence, and officials are urging students to report alarming posts instead of sharing them. But the trend may even be present offline, with Fox News reporting that a figure in a Cat in the Hat costume allegedly chased a teenage girl through a city in British Columbia last month. Police have requested video footage as they search for a suspect.