- This is probably the last character you’d expect to issue threats in nightmarish online videos.
It’s nothing uncommon for schoolchildren to pull some pranks on their places of learning. A recent spate of disturbing social media posts may have gone beyond a practical schoolyard joke, however.
And whoever’s making the videos has enlisted a beloved Dr. Seuss character to help terrorize schools.
From the U.S. to the U.K. and beyond, education authorities have had to deal with a bizarre series of online videos. What they all have in common is that they feature the famous Cat in the Hat character and are rather eerie in nature.
In the videos, the Cat lurks around schools and other buildings in the dead of night. Some of the videos are also accompanied by text naming places or individuals in a way that could be taken as a threat. Needless to say, the videos have unnerved school staff, officials, and parents.
But really… Why the Cat in the Hat?
Unsettling Memes
According to police from multiple countries, the Cat in the Hat videos are not an isolated incident targeting any school in particular. They’re a global phenomenon that has become something of a meme on video sharing sites, such as TikTok.
However, we do know where the first videos came from. It’s likely they were made in Jolly Ol’ England.
“The cat and the hat trend seems to be very popular now and is an online viral sensation. … We believe it started in the UK,” Tennessee Deputy Commissioner of Homeland Security, Greg Mays, said.
Whichever the original video is, it must’ve struck a chord with those who saw it. Copycats quickly started popping up, and each video follows a similar pattern.
They typically depict a nighttime scene, typically near a local school, home, or other facility. The slightly less concerning videos don’t appear to show any recognizable building.
In the darkness, a red-and-white striped hat emerges. From the shadows comes creeping the Cat in the Hat. The character often resembles Mike Myers’ depiction in the 2003 eponymous movie, but sometimes the Cat has a more sinister and twisted appearance.
Some videos also feature a list of names. They may be individual people (including children), communities, or facilities such as the pictured school.
Thinly-Veiled Threats
Well, that’s creepy as hell. Who’s making all these videos?
That’s the thing – we don’t know. The videos are always uploaded anonymously, and so far the cops haven’t made any arrests.
If they find the culprits, though, arrests may follow. Since the Cat in the Hat videos name real people and locations, police everywhere are treating them as potential threats against them.
“We’re seeing some threats to schools … Some threats to school-aged children. Every one of those threats that has some sort of investigative threat we can pull on,” Mays said.
There’s one silver lining. The vast majority, if not all, of the videos do not show a real person creeping about in a cat costume. According to the police, they appear to be AI-generated.
“In nearly every documented case, law enforcement has determined the content to be fabricated, using anonymous accounts and AI-generated images to provoke fear rather than carry out any actual act of violence,” Oldham County Schools in Kentucky said in a statement.
Yet, it’s impossible to know whether the implied threats in the videos are real or not. As such, the police are taking them seriously.
“An online threat or joke can quickly turn into an offline law enforcement investigation. There are consequences for making threats to schools and threats to other people,” said Mays.
One Creepy Cat
But why do the videos show the Cat in the Hat? Wouldn’t a more sinister character freak people out even more?
Not necessarily. Depicting seemingly innocent children’s characters in violent or horror settings has become quite popular in recent years.
You don’t have to look far for examples. Popular horror video games, like Five Nights at Freddy’s and Poppy’s Playground, feature a children’s entertainment venue whose characters begin committing horrible acts and screaming bloody murder.
As such, the theme of a creepy cartoon character obviously appeals to kids (who may well be behind the videos). But then there’s also the 2003 Cat in the Hat movie I mentioned earlier.
The movie didn’t receive great reviews, partially because Mike Myer’s Cat costume was… A little off-putting, shall we say? In fact, his prosthetics and heavy makeup made the character seem downright macabre.
With that background, it’s not that big of a surprise that the creepy cat may have inspired online pranksters.