Photos of ‘Cat in the Hat Serial Killer’ Are AI-Generated, Police Say

Images such at this one have been going viral across TikTok and Facebook.

AI-generated pictures and videos purporting to show one of Dr. Seuss’ characters as a serial killer have prompted police in the U.K. and Ireland to state that “Cat in the Hat was not in your driveway.”

The bizarre statement from the local police in Wexford, Ireland, came after a series of social media posts claimed that a human-sized Cat in the Hat has been stalking neighborhoods at night. The posts carry convincing images that are AI-generated.

“In an unusual turn of events we are hearing a lot about an elusive Dr Seuss character doing the rounds online, apparently causing havoc in neighbourhoods and towns across the country,” says the Wexford gardai.

“Fortunately, we can rule out the issue, which is essentially an AI prompt that places the character into images/videos of familiar places.

“To be clear, the Cat in the Hat was not in your driveway while you were out and he is not currently hiding out in Curracloe…”

The prank appears to have originated in Ireland and has made its way to the U.K. South Yorkshire Police joked they hadn’t received any reports about “a Cat in the Hat” or “his associated Thing One and Thing Two”, two characters who also appear in the Dr Seuss story.

However, a fake statement from the fictional “Yorkshire Police” claiming that “officers are aware of a number of reports regarding a suspicious figure described as a ‘Cat in the Hat’ seen walking in the Meadowhall area at approximately 2.30 a.m. this morning” was being shared on social media.

“On a serious note,” the real South Yorkshire Police adds. “If you do see posts online providing policing updates and advice, please check that they are from an official policing account.”

The Cat in the Hat pranks were enough for one 16-year-old to tell the BBC that she had to call her mom to pick her up from a sleepover after she had been watching the serial killer Cat in the Hat videos on TikTok and had become “totally freaked out.”

Last year, a similar trend, which saw people AI-generating homeless men in their houses and sending the images to their parents, led to police being called.