Police debunk viral AI ‘Cat in the Hat’ horror trend

AI-generated images and videos of a sinister, life-sized ‘Cat in the Hat’ have gone viral on platforms like TikTok and Facebook, causing concern among residents in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The trend involves using artificial intelligence to place the Dr. Seuss character into realistic, unsettling settings such as dark streets, driveways, and outside residential windows.

Police forces in both countries have issued statements to debunk the hoax. The Wexford Gardaí in Ireland clarified that the character was not stalking neighborhoods, describing the phenomenon as an “AI prompt that places the character into images/videos of familiar places.” Similarly, South Yorkshire Police in the UK addressed fake reports and urged the public to verify information through official accounts.

The trend reportedly began with a TikTok clip featuring Mike Myers from the 2003 film, which was later reinterpreted through dark humor and AI tools into a horror aesthetic. The viral content has had a tangible impact on some users, including teenagers who reported feeling genuine fear after viewing the videos.