San Antonio-area police are warning the public about a social media trend that uses the fictional “Cat in the Hat” character to threaten community members. The alerts, issued Monday, August 31, come after officers say some posts have started to include the names of individual students, schools and specific locations.
Several law enforcement agencies, including the Bandera County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments in Corpus Christi and Laredo, say their areas have been affected.
What is the ‘Cat in the Hat’ trend on TikTok?
Authorities say people are editing or using AI-generated images and videos depicting the Dr. Seuss character in intimidating situations. Many of the early posts began as “fictional or ‘horror-style’ content,” police explain. Still, some users have taken it too far by citing specific towns, school names, or people and including “messages or imagery that may be perceived as threatening.”
One TikTok video published by a page with the @CatInTheHatSATX username includes a map of San Antonio and the caption “I’m coming for every single person.” Police have recognized that individuals may publish this type of content as a joke. Regardless, officials in Laredo and Bandera say the “Cat in the Hat” social media trend say those who participate “by posting threatening content may face criminal charges and arrest when supported by the facts and applicable law, regardless of whether the post was intended as a prank.”
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School districts in the San Antonio region and further south have also taken action. Bandera ISD shared advice for parents and said it’s working with its sheriff’s office and the Southwest Fusion Center regarding recent posts…