Viral Cat in the Hat TikTok trend sparks fake videos and real fear – BBC

Chris Haston/WBTV via Getty Images The Cat in the Hat, a character from the eponymous Dr Seuss book, has been depicted on screen multiple times, including photographed here on a US talk show “He’s so scary!” says 16-year-old Skye, recoiling at the mention of the Cat in the Hat. Viral images purporting to show a life-sized version of the Dr Seuss character on the streets after dark have sparked fear and confusion among teenagers. The posts, seen by millions, have convinced some young people that the character is real and that they might encounter it, prompting police forces in Ireland and the UK to issue statements confirming that the images and videos are fake. “I was having a sleepover,” Skye elaborates, “but everyone started watching Cat in the Hat videos. It was 3am. I wanted to go home. When I started walking down my friends’ driveway, I got totally freaked out that the Cat in the Hat was going to jump out. I had to call my mum to pick me up.” A quick scroll through TikTok reveals numerous accounts, many of them created in the past few weeks, sharing photos and videos of an elusive black-and-white feline wearing the
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