Threatening 'Cat in the Hat' social post prompts precautions at Caldwell schools

On Monday morning, parents with children in Caldwell County Public Schools received a message from the district, making them aware that schools would be operating in “secure” status due to a social media post that referenced a local hotel, included a list of names, and contained alarming language.

Schools operating under secure status increase the monitoring of exterior doors and campus traffic. Classrooms continue as normal and the school is not considered to be in lockdown.

The message from the district said, “At this time, there is no indication of a credible threat to any Caldwell County Schools student, staff member, or campus.”

According to the district, the post resembles a nationwide pattern of spreading alarming content “designed to provoke fear rather than reflect danger.”

The post includes a dimly lit photo of a person in a “Cat in the Hat” costume accompanied by a series of names listed in red lettering, claiming Lenoir will “be a ghost town when I’m thru.”

Across the country, news outlets such as the Baltimore Sun and the Laredo Morning Times have reported similar “Cat in the Hat” posts that prompted lockdowns or police investigations.

“We understand posts like this can be unsettling, especially for families,” said the school district. “Please avoid sharing or resharing the content as doing so only helps it spread further.”

District officials said they continued to investigate throughout the day with the help of local law enforcement.

Schools will leave secure status at the end of the day and resume standard operations, according to officials.

This is the second week of the 2026-27 school year for Caldwell County Schools. 

—JC

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