Chilton County sheriff warns of “Cat in the Hat” social media threat

CHILTON COUNTY, Ala. (WAKA) – The Chilton County Sheriff’s Office says it’s aware of the “Cat in the Hat” social media trend circulating on platforms such as TikTok that has caused concern among students, parents and school officials.

The trend includes videos and images depicting the Dr. Seuss character appearing to lurk outside homes, schools and other locations, often at night. Some of the content appears to be generated using artificial intelligence. While many of the posts may be intended as a prank or hoax, officials nationwide say the trend has become more concerning as some posts have named specific schools, communities or students and included threatening language.

Chilton County Sheriff John Shearon says his office is actively working to identify people responsible for creating, posting or spreading content that threatens or causes fear within our schools and community. He says those people could face criminal charges.

Shearon says deleting a post does not necessarily make it disappear. He says investigators can work with school officials, social media platforms and other law enforcement agencies to identify accounts and determine who is responsible.

He says parents and students should not repost or share threatening posts. Sharing the content can create additional fear and may interfere with an investigation.

He says do not participate in the trend. Even if you believe it is a joke, he says threatening or intimidating schools and students can have serious consequences.

Shearon says if you receive or see a concerning post, message, video or threat, do not share it publicly. Save the information and report it immediately to your school administration or law enforcement.

“We take every threat involving our schools and our children seriously,” Shearon said. “What may be intended as a joke or social media trend can have real consequences for students, families, teachers and our entire community. Our investigators will work to identify those responsible, and we will pursue appropriate criminal charges when the law has been violated. I encourage parents and students to report anything concerning directly to school officials or law enforcement rather than sharing it online. Our children deserve to feel safe when they walk through the doors of our schools.”

If you have information regarding a threat or concerning social media post, contact the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office at (205) 755-4698 or report the information directly to your school principal or school administration.