A bizarre AI-generated hoax has swept across the UK and Ireland, showing a sinister, towering version of the Cat in the Hat lurking outside homes at night.
The images and videos, often styled to look like Ring doorbell footage, spread rapidly on TikTok, leaving many convinced a costumed figure or coordinated prank group was actually targeting neighborhoods after dark.
Police step in to calm the panic
Sightings were rumored in cities including Sheffield, Glasgow and Dublin, prompting multiple police forces to respond directly.
A spokesperson for Wexford Garda addressed the panic head on. “In an unusual turn of events we are hearing a lot about an illusive Dr Seuss character doing the rounds online, apparently causing havoc in neighbourhoods and towns across the country,” they wrote.
“Fortunately, we can rule out the issue, which is essentially an AI prompt that places the character into images and videos of familiar places. To be clear, the Cat in the Hat was not in your driveway while you were out.”
Glasgow Police issued an almost identical statement, and Gardaí in Dublin and Limerick also confirmed the images were entirely fabricated.
Authorities pointed to the real-world consequences of viral AI hoaxes like this one. Last year, a fake “AI homeless man” prank led to a wave of unnecessary 999 calls, including one from a parent convinced a stranger was inside their home while their child was alone.
The trend draws obvious comparisons to the 2016 “killer clown” panic. Unlike that craze, though, which involved real people in physical costumes.
It is not the first time an AI trend has caused genuine confusion online. In January 2026, one of TikTok’s most wholesome cat accounts turned out to be entirely AI-generated, fooling thousands of viewers who had no idea the content wasn’t real.
