She asked her ex-mother-in-law to postpone daughter's weekend visit. 3 days later, she’d lost custody
The documents, she said, informed her that her daughter's temporary custody had been granted to her former mother-in-law
Relationships between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law can be rocky, but few disagreements escalate quite like the one an Instagram creator says she endured for more than a decade. That Cat Lady (@catnipandcurios) shared that back in 2012, when her daughter was 6 years old, the child was supposed to spend a weekend with her grandmother — the creator's then-mother-in-law. When something came up, she called to reschedule the visit. Her MIL became angry and rudely hung up, behavior the creator said she had experienced before. On Monday afternoon, when her daughter did not come home from school, she found out she couldn't legally see her anymore. The video has since garnered over 122,000 views, 7,800 likes, and 350 comments.
No school pick-up
When the creator called her ex-MIL to rearrange her daughter's visit, the older woman threatened her and hung up. The creator did not put much thought into it. But on Monday, when her daughter did not come back from school, she got ready to pick her up. When she opened her door, a process server was waiting for her on her porch. The documents, she said, informed her that temporary custody had been granted to her former mother-in-law and that she could not see her daughter for the time being. "In fact, I didn't even have custody of her anymore, even though it was temporary."
CPS became involved
According to the creator, her former MIL had made a series of serious allegations against her in court, including claims involving d----, s-- work, violence, and her mental health. The creator denied the allegations and said they were untrue. After weeks apart, she eventually regained access to her daughter. During one supervised visit, she said, the child's guardian ad litem became concerned after noticing that the girl had lost nearly 10 pounds. The creator recalled the guardian saying, "I'm reporting what I saw of that child because this isn't good," to Child Protective Services after comparing older photographs of the girl with her condition at the time. But the legal conflict did not end there.
According to the creator, her former MIL continued filing actions involving her for years. She said proceedings that began in 2012 finally ended in June 2026 after the latest case was dismissed for 'want of prosecution' — generally meaning that a case has remained inactive because the party pursuing it failed to move it forward.Parents generally have strong legal protections when a grandparent or another third party seeks custody of their child. In Troxel v. Granville, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that fit parents have a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the care and custody of their children.
Grandparents seeking custody against a parent's wishes usually face a much higher legal bar than parents do. Depending on the state and circumstances, courts may consider transferring custody when there are serious concerns such as abuse, neglect, abandonment or parental unfitness. That context helps explain why, according to the creator, the allegations made against her were so consequential: she says her former MIL portrayed her as an unsafe parent while seeking temporary custody.
When grandparents get custody
Parents generally have strong legal protections when a grandparent or another third party seeks custody of their child. In Troxel v. Granville, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that fit parents have a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the care and custody of their children. Grandparents seeking custody against a parent's wishes usually face a much higher legal bar than parents do. Depending on the state and circumstances, courts may consider transferring custody when there are serious concerns such as abuse, neglect, abandonment, or parental unfitness. That context helps explain why, according to the creator, the allegations made against her were so consequential: she says her former MIL portrayed her as an unsafe parent while seeking temporary custody.
At a loss for words!
People were horrified by what the MIL had been doing to the creator for 10 years, and all the mental and physical a---- inflicted on the young girl. @simply.kind.crochet asked, "What kind of money does that woman have? Seriously, crazy." @crcswimsusa added, "This is the behavior my own birthgiver tried with my kids a few times. But the craziest thing from an in-law would be the three times she purposefully served me shellfish mixed into her pasta sauce, knowing I'm allergic. So, attempted m-----, I guess."
You can follow That Cat Lady (@catnipandcurios) on Instagram for more lifestyle content.
More on Scoop Upworthy
Share on Facebook
