09/01/2026
08/31/2026
COMMUNITY AWARENESS — “CAT IN THE HAT” SOCIAL MEDIA “TREND”
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office is aware of concerns surrounding the social media “trend” commonly referred to as the “Cat in the Hat” trend, which has recently gained attention among students, parents, and school communities. This trend is occurring not only nationally but internationally as well.
Detectives are discovering that many posts associated with this trend involve AI-generated or digitally altered images, names, and messages intended to frighten or alarm those who see them.
At this time, we have no information indicating a credible threat to our local schools related to this trend.
We understand that these posts can appear convincing and can be frightening, especially to younger students. Parents are encouraged to talk with their children and remind them that content seen online — particularly AI-generated content — may not be real.
We do, however, ask students to avoid creating, sharing, reposting, or participating in threatening versions of this trend, even as a joke. A social media post intended as a prank can create genuine fear, disrupt school operations, require a law-enforcement response, and potentially result in school discipline or criminal consequences.
If a post specifically mentions a local student, school, location, or threat of violence, please preserve the information and report it to school administration or law enforcement rather than sharing it further on social media.
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office will continue working closely with our school districts and monitor any concerns brought to our attention.
Sheriff Jeff Lawless
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office
115 South 5th Street
Ironton, Ohio 45638
