The viral 'Cat in the Hat' social media trend that has led to increased school security presence on campuses and teen arrests in Florida, has made its way to the Jacksonville area.
The trend, reminiscent of the social posts that caused the 2016 clown frenzy, includes AI-generated pictures of the Dr. Seuss character appearing menacingly in different places and 'lurking around neighborhoods,' while teasing where 'The Cat' will head next.
St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office posted a message on Facebook Sept. 7 regarding the trend and the measures that will be taken out of an abundance of caution.
No credible threats have been identified, the agencies said.
What is the 'Cat in the Hat' trend?
The "Cat in the Hat" trend began as a practical joke intended
to stoke laughter (and inadvertently fear) with AI-generated imagery or content of the cat from the live-action "Cat in the Hat" movie starring Mike Myers, which some have likened to the 2016 clown scare.
The trend involves AI-generated videos and images that show the “Cat in the Hat” character running through streets or appearing at local landmarks. They are meant to be harmless fun, but some people have used the format in ways that appear threatening.
Where did 'Cat in the Hat' trend start?
The trend seemingly began abroad, with users across Latin America and the United Kingdom sharing content featuring "The Cat" and later grainy videos of people lurking around neighborhoods dressed up as the Dr. Seuss character, teasing where they'd be heading to next.
One of the more alarming rumors that has spun out of the trend involved people or animals being killed by a person in Ireland, dressed as the "Cat in the Hat." Wexford Garda, the police station located in Wexford, Ireland, has also rebuked the claims.
Anonymous users are seemingly targeting children now, with accounts using the name or likeness of The Cat to call out individual students or schools, "along with language suggesting that the character is 'coming for them,'" according to the Flemingsburg Police Department in Kentucky.
St. Johns, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office 'aware' of trend, no credible threats found
St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office posted a community alert Sept. 7 on Facebook sharing that it "is aware of and investigating the 'Cat in the Hat' social media content involving St. Johns County Schools."
"At this time, no credible threats have been identified," the post read.
The Sheriff's Office said it is working with the School District, and there will be an increased law enforcement presence on school campuses.
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office also shared a message Monday stating that "any post or message that references a specific school, student, employee or threat of violence will be taken seriously and investigated accordingly."
The message said the Sheriff's Office was not aware of any credible threats at the time and urged parents to speak with their children about the consequences of creating and sharing threatening content.
'Cat in the Hat' social media trend causes trouble at Florida schools
The trend has recently triggered additional school safety precautions and arrests in Florida:
- Santa Rosa County School District: The district announced in a recent social media post that students and faculty would see more law enforcement and security personnel around campuses this week due to the trend and its threats.
- Vero Beach High School: VBHS principal Rachel Finnegan sent out a voicemail to parents about the online trend: "While there is no known threat to our schools, we take these reports seriously," the voicemail stated. "Our law enforcement partners are monitoring the situation and are making sure our campuses are safe."
- Pasco County: A 12-year-old middle school student was arrested for making a threat to his school as part of the viral trend, WFLA News Channel 8 reported.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 'Cat in the Hat' trend spreads to St. Johns, Putnam schools
