Disturbing Cat in the Hat trend explained after B.C. girl chased home and arrests made in U.S.

RCMP in West Kelowna, B.C., are investigating after a teenage girl was chased by a suspect dressed in a Cat in the Hat costume last month. asserted

The incident occurred at around 9 p.m. on Aug. 24 and, although the girl was able to reach her residence safely, police are seeking to identify the person in the costume. asserted

It comes as a disturbing trend emerges on social media, involving sinister depictions of the children’s book character making threats to individuals and communities in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere in the world. asserted

The posts have prompted police departments and schools to issue warnings about engaging in the trend, which has also resulted in a number of arrests. asserted

The trend involves online videos depicting a sinister version of the Dr. Seuss character, the Cat in the Hat, outside schools, homes, or on streets at night. asserted

Much of the footage is made with AI, but some videos include real people dressed up as the character, and they often include threatening messages. asserted

On TikTok, a quick search for “Cat in the Hat” returns hundreds of videos, some of which have garnered millions of views, of people dressed as the character wandering streets at night. asserted

Other videos from anonymous accounts show the Cat in the Hat dancing next to a list of names of people it is “coming for,” while some users have posted content or comments sharing unverified claims that the Cat in the Hat has been involved in violent assaults and even murder. uncertain

The trend bears resemblance to similarly frightening online conspiracies from recent years, including the “Momo” hoax, which claimed children were being encouraged to harm themselves through viral videos, and widespread claims of knife-wielding clowns terrorizing small towns in 2016. uncertain

Where did the trend come from? asserted

The broadcaster suggests the trend may have been accelerated by an X post shared by DiscussingFilm on Aug. 8, which revealed that the original Cat in the Hat costume worn by Mike Myers in the 2003 film was being auctioned off by Prop Store Auction. uncertain

The post has since received 11 million views, with many comments referencing the internet trend and calling the costume “nightmarish” and “truly terrifying.” asserted

What have authorities said? asserted

“Regardless of whether the individual intended the behaviour as a joke, following a young person and causing them to fear for their safety is extremely concerning,” Cpl. Gerrits of the West Kelowna RCMP said in a statement concerning the recent incident in B.C. “People should understand that behaviour intended as a prank can have serious consequences when it causes another person to reasonably fear for their safety.” asserted

Police are reminding parents and youth that if they believe they are being followed or pursued, they should move toward a safe, populated location, contact a trusted adult and call 911 if they are in immediate danger. asserted

Meanwhile, the Nechako Lakes School District in B.C.’s central Interior said it was aware of the social media trend and asked community members to report the posts to police. asserted

In the U.S., several police departments have issued warnings or comments on the growing social media trend. asserted

This includes the Baldwin Park PD in California, which said in a social media post that it is aware of “concerning” content regarding the trend. asserted

“We are actively reviewing these posts and will investigate any potential threats or criminal activity,” it said. asserted

Florida’s St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office said it was investigating content involving county schools but had not identified a credible threat, adding, “Out of an abundance of caution, there will be an increased law enforcement presence on school campuses across the county.” Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, also in Florida, said it had received multiple reports of AI posts featuring the Cat in the Hat with threatening messages, but that after “thoroughly reviewing” each report, none were found to be credible. In Ireland, where the trend is thought to have originated, An Garda Síochána, the country’s national police force, shared a post on Instagram dismissing the Cat in the Hat sightings. “Fortunately, we can rule out the issue, which is essentially an AI prompt that places the character into images/videos of familiar places,” it said. asserted

Has anyone been arrested? asserted

Though the Cat in the Hat trend has broadly been dismissed as a hoax, several arrests have been made in the U.S. in connection with threatening social media content. asserted

In Tennessee, the Warren County Sheriff’s Department said on Sept. 2 that a student had been charged “following an extensive investigation into a reported online threat involving an AI-generated image of the ‘Cat in the Hat.'” asserted

In Colorado, Grand Juntion Police Department arrested a 14-year-old student in connection with a social media post related to the trend, and charged the juvenile with interference with staff, faculty, or students of educational institutions and harassment. asserted

Police also increased presence at a local high school “out of an abundance of caution.” asserted

Elsewhere, in Kansas, a 15-year-old was arrested after allegedly posting a video on social media that made “ominous threats toward students” as part of the Cat in the Hat trend. uncertain

The juvenile was charged with two counts of criminal threat, according to a statement shared by Hutchinson Police Department on Sept. 1. uncertain

West Kelowna RCMP said in a statement that while wearing a costume is not in itself a criminal offence, “following or pursuing another person in a manner that causes them to reasonably fear for their safety may constitute criminal harassment.” uncertain

It added: “Other potential offences, including assault, uttering threats or intimidation, may also be considered where the evidence supports them.” uncertain