09/01/2026
Subject: Public Safety Notice “Cat in the Hat” Social Media Trend
The Creston Police Department is aware of a social media trend commonly referred to as the “Cat in the Hat” trend and has received local reports involving harassment and threatening content associated with the trend.
The trend generally involves digitally altered or AI-generated images and videos depicting a frightening or threatening version of the “Cat in the Hat” character. While much of the content began as a social media trend or hoax, some individuals have used the trend to create posts or messages threatening others or identifying specific individuals, schools, or communities.
Law enforcement agencies and school districts in other states have recently investigated posts associated with the trend that included threats of violence toward students, individuals, and schools. Some posts have also included specific or personal information about the individuals being targeted.
At this time, the Creston Police Department is not aware of any credible threat to a local school associated with this trend. However, we have received local reports involving threatening or harassing content, and discussion of the trend has made its way into our schools and community.
We want parents, students, and community members to understand that threatening someone through a social media trend, meme, video, or other online communication is not harmless simply because it was intended as a joke or prank. The Creston Police Department takes reports of threats seriously and will investigate reported threats to determine their source, credibility, and whether criminal charges are appropriate.
We encourage parents and guardians to speak with their children about this trend and reinforce safe and responsible online behavior:
1. Protect personal information. Do not publicly share your home address, school, schedule, location, or another person's private information.
2. Do not participate in or escalate the trend. Do not create, share, or repost threatening content involving another person, school, or community.
3. Do not attempt to investigate or confront anyone because of a social media post, message, or challenge.
4. Do not follow instructions from unknown social media accounts, including requests to meet someone, travel to a location, or provide personal information.
5. Block and report accounts posting threatening, frightening, or suspicious content when appropriate.
6. Report genuine threats rather than spreading them. Preserve the original post, message, username, and other available information and immediately notify a parent or trusted adult, school administrator, or law enforcement.
We particularly ask students and community members not to repost threatening content simply to warn others or increase awareness. Sharing these posts can unnecessarily spread fear, increase their
CRESTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
Cameron K. Hale, Chief of Police
302 N. Pine St. Creston, IA 50801-0449
Phone: 641-782-8402 • Fax 641-782-8404
audience, and make it more difficult to determine where the information originated. Instead, preserve the information and report it to the appropriate authorities.
Again, there is currently no known credible threat to a Creston school associated with this trend. This notice is being issued because the trend is spreading rapidly, we have received local reports involving it, and we believe parents and families should be aware of what their children may be encountering online.
The Creston Police Department will continue to work with our schools and community partners and will investigate any reported threats appropriately.
Respectfully,
Chief Cameron Hale
302 N. Pine Street #4
Creston, IA 50801
641-782-8402
[email protected]
