SLEEPOVERS are getting derailed by a supposedly life-sized Cat in the Hat prowling the streets after dark — except it isn’t real.

Across TikTok, millions have watched posts claiming the Dr Seuss character has been spotted in the UK and Ireland. Some teenagers say the videos have genuinely rattled them, with 16-year-old Skye describing how a 3am scroll left her too scared to walk home and calling her mum for a lift.

The trend has exploded thanks to fresh accounts sharing photos and clips of an “elusive” black-and-white cat in the towering red-and-white hat. One post featuring the original costume and a panicked “Help, what do I do?” caption has pulled in 14.6m views in three weeks — and the comment sections have only fuelled the chaos, including conspiracy theories about Mike Myers (who played the character in the 2003 film) being stuck inside.

A chunk of the most convincing-looking footage is AI-generated, with supposed sightings centred on Limerick and Wexford. Gardaí in Wexford dismissed the images as fake and said they were made using artificial intelligence — but that hasn’t stopped them spreading, alongside unverified and unevidenced claims that the Cat in the Hat has been involved in violent assaults.

In England, South Yorkshire Police also knocked back viral posts about a “killer Cat in the Hat” and pointed out a fake Facebook statement from “Yorkshire Police” — a force that doesn’t exist. The real force urged people to check posts are from official accounts, adding: “The cat is not out of the hat on this one… Please don't believe everything you read on social media.”

Not everyone’s terrified: TikTok is also full of people dancing in Cat in the Hat costumes (including clips set to Beyoncé), drag performer Ellie Diamond insisting she’s not the “killer”, and Irish creator Garron Noone joking the hoax should’ve been obvious.

One spark for the current panic appears to be a 10m-view post on X from 8 August highlighting that the original costume is being auctioned by Propstore. The worn outfit is due to be sold on Wednesday as part of a 1,400-item memorabilia sale and is tipped to fetch up to $24,000 (£17,500).