A Canadian teen made it home safely after a person in a full Cat in the Hat costume chased her through a British Columbia neighborhood, prompting police to warn that pranks can carry criminal consequences.
The girl was walking near the 2000 block of Shamrock Drive in West Kelowna, British Columbia, around 9 p.m. On Aug. 24 when the pursuit began, according to a Tuesday statement from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. She was not publicly identified.
Surveillance footage captured the suspect wearing the complete Dr. Seuss getup, including the character’s trademark red-and-white striped hat and gloves.
“Regardless of whether the individual intended the behavior as a joke, following a young person and causing them to fear for their safety is extremely concerning,” Cpl. Devon Gerrits of the West Kelowna RCMP said.
“People should understand that behaviour intended as a prank can have serious consequences when it causes another person to reasonably fear for their safety,” Gerrits added.
While wearing a costume itself is not a crime, police noted that following or pursuing someone in a manner that causes them to fear for their safety could amount to criminal harassment under Canadian law.
Officers are now asking residents to turn over any doorbell, security, or dashcam footage from the Shamrock Drive area around the time of the incident that might help identify the costumed individual.
The West Kelowna chase unfolded against a backdrop of growing alarm over a separate online phenomenon involving AI-generated videos of the Cat in the Hat. Those clips, which have drawn warnings from police departments across the United States, typically show a figure in the character’s signature costume making ominous or threatening statements aimed at specific schools or communities.
Departments from Georgia to Virginia have urged parents and students to treat the videos seriously and report any credible threats. The online scare has already spilled into real-world consequences, with 10 juveniles arrested nationwide in connection with creating or spreading the threatening content.
West Kelowna police did not say whether the local incident was connected to the broader online trend.
The Cat in the Hat first appeared in Dr. Seuss’s 1957 children’s classic and was later portrayed by Mike Myers in a 2003 live-action film adaptation.
Police continue to investigate the West Kelowna chase and have appealed for public assistance in identifying the suspect.