A school in Linköping has issued a warning to parents after a threatening cat figure spread on TikTok, according to Corren. The trend, referred to in Swedish reports as "Katten i hatten," has prompted the school to act, with jp.se reporting that the school went into lockdown in connection with the phenomenon.
The warning follows a wider spread of the trend online. Aftonbladet has linked the character to death threats, while pt.se reports that the viral trend has frightened schoolchildren and has now reached the Pite River Valley area in northern Sweden.
Göteborgs-Posten quotes an expert who describes the "Cat in the Hat" trend as a form of scare game. The reports indicate the phenomenon has moved from social media into real-world concern for schools and families in several locations.
The exact nature of the threats and how many schools have been affected have not been detailed in the available reporting. The accounts come from multiple Swedish news outlets covering the same trend.
What to watch next: whether more schools issue warnings, and how authorities respond to the trend as it continues to circulate.
