The Cat in the Hat serial killer trend is an AI-generated hoax and social media meme series about an alleged killer said to have stalked streets at night in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The figure was depicted wearing an outfit resembling Mike Myers’ Cat in the Hat costume from the 2003 film The Cat in the Hat.
How the Cat in the Hat killer hoax spread
The trend gained popularity on social media in August 2026. It followed a series of dark, horror-themed Cat in the Hat memes that reimagined scenes from the film, as well as an auction for the original Cat suit worn by Mike Myers.
As claims about the alleged killer circulated online, police in Ireland confirmed that the story was a hoax. There is no evidence that a real serial killer matching the online descriptions was stalking the streets.
The Cat in the Hat hoax has been compared with the creepy clown sightings that spread across social media in 2016.
