How AI is bringing the Cat in the Hat to your street - and other viral hoaxes

There’s no need to panic - the Cat in the Hat is NOT heading to your town to cause trouble.

What you might have seen is a social media trend where AI images of the picture book character are placed into photographs of streets around the UK and Ireland to make it look like the character is paying a visit.

They’re usually images of streets at night which has led some people to find the trend unnerving. Police in some areas have released statements reassuring people that the images are AI generated and people have nothing to worry about.

As reported on BBC News, different TikTok accounts have been set up during August which show photos and videos of the character in specific locations.

It may have been inspired by the costume from the 2003 film The Cat in the Hat, starring Mike Myers, which has just been put up for auction. The costume has attracted comments saying how creepy it looks now.

But what should you do when you see videos like this? And what other viral trends have caused concern in the past? BBC Bitesize Other Side of the Story investigates.

Who were the creepy clowns in 2016?

The ‘creepy clown’ phenomenon of 2016 had nothing to do with AI. However, as with the Cat in the Hat incidents, the police had to issue warnings after people dressed as scary versions of the circus favourite and hung around public places, with images and videos shared on social media.

There were even cases of schools having to close when people dressed as clowns were spotted nearby.

At the time, Vera Baird QC, who worked with Northumbria Police, told the BBC: “However well-meaning and however you might have spent your pocket money on a clown's outfit in order to have a joke on your best mate… it could well be misunderstood and you could scare somebody.”

The clown craze was short-lived and was said to have started in the US. A few months later, It Chapter One, a horror movie featuring Pennywise the clown, was released in cinemas there, although no connection between the two has been found.

It seems more likely to have been an attempt by YouTubers and other social media users to cause a bit of a stir and go viral.

What was the Momo Challenge?

This 2019 hoax centred around a character with bulging eyes called Momo. There were concerns that it could hack into WhatsApp chats and set children dangerous challenges.

It’s always important to check the facts in these situations, and research found there was nothing to the Momo challenge at all - it simply didn’t exist.

However, the photo linked to the challenge, a sculpture made by a Japanese special effects company, began to circulate on socials, which some people found frightening. It was also edited into unofficial versions of a cartoon on YouTube.

Police advice at the time was for parents to use the situation to explain safer ways of using the internet to their kids.

What should I do if I see a Cat in the Hat meme?

Remember, an AI-generated image of the Cat in the Hat on a street or in a town that you recognise does not mean that the character is there.

This is a big difference between the current Cat in the Hat meme and past hoaxes. AI enables people to be more specific with locations, making the images seem more relatable.

If you do see one, first of all - stop. Ask yourself, what is this image? Is it real? If it makes you feel uncomfortable, could it do the same to someone else?

If that is the case, then think hard before sharing it. You could be sharing misinformation and it may not take long before it goes viral, leading others in the community to believe a sinister take on a childhood character might be heading their way.

This article was published in August 2026

Not sure if the news you’re seeing on social media is true or false? Can you always tell if the things you see online are real or fake?

Learn how to get the other side of the story with our quizzes, videos and explainers about media skills and viral trends including popular food myths.