Viral ‘Cat in the Hat’ trend hits Wolverhampton as parents warn prank could have ‘serious consequences’

A Wolverhampton mum has raised concerns over the latest “Cat in the Hat” social media trend, warning that what may begin as a prank could have serious consequences when children’s personal information is shared online.

Schannan Williams, who describes herself as a working-class mum from Wolverhampton, said she understood why young people might see the trend as harmless fun — but believes a line is crossed when children’s names and locations are posted publicly.

What is the Cat in the Hat trend?

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.

Images and videos using AI have appeared on social media platforms that claim to show the figure based on Mike Myers’ 2003 film adaptation walking along roads and peering into windows.

Often they are shared with a warning for the town or city, such as “lock your doors Sheffield / Manchester”.

Sightings have also been reported in Lowestoft in Kent, Stroud in Gloucestershire, and Leeds in Yorkshire.

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Sharing content on Instagram, Schannan, who has over 30,000 followers, said: “I understand that kids are doing it as a prank. I understand they might genuinely think it’s harmless.

“But when children’s names and locations start being put online, we have to stop and think about the potential impact.”

Her comments come as the trend continues to circulate on social media, with parents increasingly questioning how far viral pranks should go when they involve identifiable young people.

Schannan also highlighted concerns around the potential effect on children who may already be struggling with anxiety or worries about their safety.

“Young people are already dealing with enough when it comes to anxiety and mental health,” she said. “Imagine seeing your own name and where you live attached to something designed to scare you.”

The Wolverhampton mum challenged other parents to consider how they would feel if their own child became the subject of such a post.

“Would you still find it funny if it was YOUR child?” she asked.

Schannan acknowledged that some may see her response as overly protective, adding: “Maybe I’m being a protective mum, but I genuinely think some lines shouldn’t be crossed for a viral trend.”

Other social media influencers across the West Midlands have also been posting about the prank, including Realjmarnz.

The viral posts come amid growing concern over a more dangerous trend on social media involving videos of people driving the wrong way on roads and motorways.

Earlier this month, five teenagers were killed in a crash in County Kildare, Ireland, after their car was struck by another vehicle travelling the wrong way on a motorway.

In a separate incident on Saturday, seven people, including two police officers, died following a head-on collision involving a car travelling the wrong way along the A66 near Middlesbrough.

The police watchdog is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. It is not currently clear whether the men driving the vehicle were taking part in or influenced by the social media trend.