A Mother-in-Law Secretly Blames the Couple's Infertility on Their Pet Cat

Mother-in-law displeased with pet cat causes in-law conflict
"No chance until having a child," secretly takes the cat
"Husband not fulfilling his role... common conflict among many couples"

A story has emerged about a woman who is considering divorce from her husband after her mother-in-law secretly sent away their pet cat, claiming it was the cause of their infertility.

On the 23rd, JTBC’s ‘Sageon Banjang’ covered the story of Ms. A, a woman in her 30s, whose mother-in-law sent away the pet cat they had before marriage without permission, leading to a separation from her husband.

Ms. A and her husband enjoyed a happy newlywed life, but the mother-in-law was displeased with Ms. A bringing the cat. Whenever she visited, she complained about the “smell” and “shedding fur.”

One day, the mother-in-law brought side dishes and gave the door password, but without saying a word, she sent the cat to an acquaintance. She claimed that the cat was also the cause of the couple’s infertility and even said, “There’s no way you’ll have a child while the cat is here.”

After a big fight with her mother-in-law, Ms. A brought the cat back home. However, this time her husband’s attitude became a problem. He got angry at Ms. A, saying, “Are you going to cut off the mother-in-law relationship over something like this?” The conflict worsened, and Ms. A left for her parents’ home with the cat.

The husband went to Ms. A’s parents’ home to find his wife and the cat but was turned away by the emotionally charged family. Ms. A’s mother-in-law reportedly said, “I spoke nicely to the acquaintance and sent the cat, but didn’t she take it back? What about my pride? A daughter-in-law who gets angry over something like this is narrow-minded.”

Ms. A said, “The cat has been a precious family member for five years, so I feel frustrated wondering if I’m just being sensitive. I can’t stand my resentful husband. I seriously wonder if I should get a divorce.”

Although the conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was triggered by the mother-in-law taking away the beloved pet cat, it is said to be a common scenario in many families. Lawyer Yang Ji-yeol, who heard the story, explained, “This is a conflict many couples face, especially because the husband did not fulfill his role.”

He pointed out, “If this situation continues, the issue will no longer be about the cat but about trust in the husband. The husband needs to play the role of the ‘bad son.’”

Lawyer Baek Seong-moon also said, “If the mother-in-law is not completely dealt with, the marriage will not be sustainable. From Ms. A’s perspective, how can she trust that this won’t happen again? If the husband cannot make her understand that the mother must step back, it will be difficult to restore trust.”