The viral “Cat in the Hat” school-threat panic that has already led to arrests and school scares in other states has now reached Scioto County.
Scioto County deputies were called to Northwest High School after a report of a Snapchat profile named “Cat in the Hat” that allegedly included a list of names and threats directed toward them.
The call came in Friday morning.
According to the sheriff’s log, deputies responded to the high school and later went to the middle school as part of the investigation.
A deputy then returned to the high school, and a report was taken.
No arrest was listed in the local information provided.
The incident appears to fit a larger national trend involving “Cat in the Hat” accounts, posts, and AI-generated images or videos being used in school-related threats on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok.
In Kentucky, authorities identified a juvenile connected to threatening “Cat in the Hat” messages sent to students through Snapchat and other social media platforms. Other districts and police agencies across the country have warned that the trend can lead to criminal charges and arrests when the posts contain threats or create fear in schools.
That is the part students need to understand.
Calling it a joke, trend, prank, or meme does not make it harmless once names, schools, threats, or fear get involved.
For parents, students, and staff, a post like this can create panic fast.
For deputies and school officials, every threat has to be treated seriously until investigators can determine who made it, whether the person has access to weapons, whether the threat is credible, and whether anyone is in danger.
Even if a post turns out to be a hoax, the consequences can still be very real: school discipline, police reports, criminal investigations, court involvement, and possible charges.
The message is simple.
Do not make threat lists.
Do not repost them for attention.
Do not create anonymous accounts to scare classmates.
And if you see a threat naming students, staff, or a school, save the information and report it to a parent, school official, or law enforcement.
Once deputies are called to a school, it is not internet drama anymore.
It is a criminal investigation.