Teenagers across the UK and Ireland have been spooked by a viral TikTok trend claiming a life-sized “Cat in the Hat” is stalking streets at night. The clips, which resemble CCTV or doorbell camera footage, have prompted police to step in and assure the public it is all fake.
AI-Generated Fakes Spread Fear
Viral posts, seen by millions, show a tall, unsettling Cat in the Hat figure lurking under streetlights, hiding in shadows and standing in family driveways after dark. However, the videos are actually artificial intelligence (AI)-generated fakes dressed up with “analog horror” storylines claiming the character is a serial killer or midnight stalker.
Sixteen-year-old Skye told the BBC: “He’s so scary!” She added: “I was having a sleepover, but everyone started watching Cat in the Hat videos. It was 3am. I wanted to go home. When I started walking down my friends’ driveway, I got totally freaked out that the Cat in the Hat was going to jump out. I had to call my mum to pick me up.”
Fake Sightings and Auction Frenzy
The hoax has been pushed by posts pinning “sightings” on specific places, with fake alerts flooding Irish areas including Limerick, Cork, Wexford and Dublin, and UK locations like Glasgow and Inverness, the National Scot reported. Pranksters have also shared edited “police updates” claiming officers are hunting the character.
The frenzy deepened on August 8 when DiscussingFilm posted on X that the original Cat in the Hat costume was being auctioned by Propstore. That post hit 10 million views, with people calling it “nightmare fuel” and “genuinely haunting”. The lot is due to be sold on Wednesday (August 26) as part of an auction of 1,400 items, and is tipped to fetch up to $24,000 (£17,500).
Police Respond and Parents Compare to Past Scares
Wexford Gardaí said: “Fortunately, we can rule out the issue… To be clear, the Cat in the Hat was not in your driveway while you were out.” In the UK, South Yorkshire Police warned people to ignore fake posts about “sightings” near Meadowhall and only trust updates from verified accounts.
Parents are comparing the trend to the Momo Challenge or Slender Man scares - creepy fiction paired with fake “news” designed to freak kids out. Emily, a mum in Scotland, said: “I’m not worried about my daughters, but there could be people with bad intentions who might take advantage of this trend to manipulate teenagers.”
