For people outside the intense culture wars surrounding gender identity around the world, the claim that schools are installing litter boxes for students who “identify as cats” can sound like something out of a surreal joke.
Yet the rumour — often tied to misconceptions about the furry community — continues to circulate widely online and in political discourse, despite there being no evidence that such practices exist in schools.
The story has taken on the life of an internet hoax turned urban myth. Nevertheless, it continues to be repeated by some parents, right-wing commentators and politicians, who present it as proof that conversations about gender identity and LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools have gone too far.
Although the idea may seem absurd, the narrative has had real-world consequences. For some critics of transgender rights, the rumour is used as an example of what they describe as a “slippery slope,” arguing that recognising transgender identities could eventually lead to people claiming non-human identities such as animals.
Advocates say that framing has helped fuel broader political arguments against LGBTQ+ rights, particularly those involving young people and schools.
Hoax resurfaces again
The claim resurfaced again this week after MAGA pastor Tony Suarez alleged that schools in eastern Tennessee were providing litter boxes for students who identify as “furries”.
“This is in the Bible Belt,” Suarez said during an appearance on the FlashPoint broadcast, according to LGBTQ+ Nation.
“We have to be watchmen on the wall and say, ‘No’… On our watch we’re not gonna allow this — whether it’s Islam, wokeism — it cannot infiltrate our schools.”
He added that parents needed to take a stand against what he described as ideological influence in education.
Despite the assertion, there remains no verified case of any school providing litter boxes to accommodate students identifying as animals.
Origins of the rumour
Pinpointing exactly where the myth originated is difficult. Some historians trace versions of the rumour back to the early 2000s, with the story gaining greater traction in the 2010s.
The claims became more widespread as schools began introducing accommodations for transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming students — such as gender-neutral bathrooms. As debates over gender identity intensified, the litter box story became part of a broader moral panic around identity politics in education.
Public figures have occasionally amplified the rumour by discussing it as if it were real. Podcaster Joe Rogan, for instance, previously repeated the claim on his show before later acknowledging that it was not true.
A 2022 report by NBC News found that at least 20 conservative candidates and elected officials had publicly claimed that K–12 schools were installing litter boxes or making similar accommodations for students who identify as cats.
However, every school district referenced by those politicians denied the allegations, either in statements to NBC News or through public clarifications.
To date, there is no credible evidence that any school has implemented litter boxes for students identifying as animals.
The real reason cat litter appears in schools
While litter boxes for students are a myth, cat litter has appeared in some American classrooms for a very different — and far more sobering — reason.
As reported by Insider, certain schools in Colorado have included buckets filled with cat litter among classroom emergency supplies. The materials are intended to serve as temporary toilets if students are trapped in classrooms during an active shooter lockdown.
During lockdowns, students may be unable to leave the room until police have secured the entire building, which can take hours.
To prepare for such emergencies, some districts have added buckets and cat litter to supply lists so children can relieve themselves safely if they cannot access a bathroom.
