The Cat in the Hat has entertained generations of children, but an unsettling viral trend has transformed the famous Dr. Seuss character into something considerably more sinister.

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AI-generated horror videos featuring the character have been spreading across social media in the US, prompting genuine concern among schools, communities and law enforcement.

The posts typically show a frightening version of the Cat in the Hat standing in dark rooms, lurking outside windows or appearing near recognisable locations, per the Guardian.

But it is the increasingly personal nature of the content that has caused the biggest alarm.

Some posts have included the names of students, towns and school campuses, while others have featured threatening messages such as: “I’m coming.”

Although the images themselves appear to be fake, authorities are taking the consequences surrounding them seriously.

The trend reportedly first gained notoriety in Ireland and the UK in August, with early posts portraying the Cat in the Hat as a horror character or serial killer.

It later spread to US social media, where users began localising the content using AI-generated and edited images to make it appear as though the character was standing outside real homes and schools.

According to MySA, one South Texas account shared a map of San Antonio alongside the message: “I’m coming for every single person.”

Other posts have reportedly included school initials, student names and images designed to resemble security camera footage.

That has resulted in increased police patrols, school lockdowns and even arrests in certain states as authorities attempt to determine whether individual posts represent genuine threats.

Greg Mays, deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Office of Homeland Security, told The New York Times that numerous videos were being investigated, explaining that the key issue is when the content becomes threatening.

“That’s where it crosses the line.

FBI Special Agent Nathan Head similarly told Spectrum News 1: “Just posting the video itself is not a crime,” with the concern instead surrounding threats directed towards schools, students or institutions.

The Butler Police Department has compared the situation to the infamous ‘killer clown’ scare of 2016, when reports of threatening clowns spread across the country and resulted in police investigations and arrests.

Authorities elsewhere have also responded.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office in Florida increased its presence around school campuses, although no threats were ultimately found.

Meanwhile, the Frio County Sheriff’s Office in Texas increased patrols and visibility while warning people against sharing Cat in the Hat material they encounter online.

For police, the message is that something created as an online joke can quickly have consequences in the real world.

“Viral does not mean harmless,” the Laredo Police Department stated.

Authorities warned that even a few seconds of social media footage could potentially trigger a police investigation, school punishment or criminal consequences, regardless of whether the person responsible intended the post as a joke.

Featured image credit: X