Eerie photographs appearing to show the Cat in the Hat lurking in streets across Scotland have gone viral on social media, leaving some locals “terrified”.
Images of the black-and-white children's cartoon character have been spreading rapidly online, with alleged sightings reported in Glasgow, Fife, Paisley, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Ayr, West Lothian and many more locations.
Viral sightings across Scotland
One photograph showed the Dr Seuss character lurking on Bon Accord Street in Aberdeen. Fife Jammer Locations have been flooded with pictures apparently showing the figure appearing around familiar locations in the Kingdom, including one image of the Cat in the Hat standing under a lit street light on Fod Street in Dunfermline.
Although the majority of the images are believed to be AI-generated, many locals have been left fearing they are real. One person online said: “In other places I’ve heard it’s going about attacking folk, hopefully it doesn’t happen in Aberdeen but I wouldn’t put it past it.” Another added: “That’s terrifying. I’m scared.”
Public reaction and comparisons
A third person wrote: “What actually goes through people’s heads to think 'I know what I’ll do on Wednesday night, I’ll wander round as Cat in the Hat'. Either way if he spooks me up on my window he’s getting a sponge bob square go.”
Comparing the sinister feline to Jason Voorhees, the killer from the Friday 13th franchise, someone else commented: “That's scary as hell! Move over Jason.”
Previous hoaxes in Ireland
The trend follows a recent social media hoax in Ireland, where similarly creepy images of the Cat in the Hat prompted a police statement. Photographs first emerged in Limerick before alleged sightings spread to Glanmire in Cork, Cahir in Tipperary, Curracloe in Wexford and Broadford Park in Dublin, showing the figure wandering through residential areas.
Gardaí were forced to step in and confirm the terrifying images were not real. A spokesperson for Wexford Garda said: “In an unusual turn of events we are hearing a lot about an illusive Dr Seuss character doing the rounds online, apparently causing havoc in neighbourhoods and towns across the country. Fortunately, we can rule out the issue, which is essentially an AI prompt that places the character into images/videos of familiar places. To be clear, the Cat in the Hat was not in your driveway while you were out and he is not currently hiding out in Curracloe.”
Past scares in Scotland
It is not the first time a spooky fictional figure has caused alarm in Scottish communities through social media. In 2016, the country was gripped by the so-called “killer clown” craze, with people dressing as the children's entertainers to deliberately scare or intimidate members of the public.
Police Scotland received reports of individuals dressed as clowns in several areas, while many similar incidents circulating online were later confirmed as hoaxes. Officers issued a stark warning to anyone taking part, with Supt David Duncan saying anyone “seeking to cause distress and potential harm to anyone” should be aware that police “will take action”.
In 2021, children were left terrified after a person wearing a crow mask and black coat was reported roaming the streets of Dumfries. Three separate reports were made about the so-called “plague doctor”, including one near a school where teachers and parents were “understandably” worried. Officers said the incidents appeared to be linked to a “craze circulating through social media platforms” and warned that behaviour which places another person in a state of fear or alarm can be a criminal offence.
Police Scotland declined to comment on the 'Cat in the Hat' trend.
