My Husband and His Mom Got Rid of My Cat While I Was Away — but I Never Expected My Neighbor to Help Me Get Revenge

When I got back from a brief getaway, I found out that my mother-in-law had taken it upon herself to “liberate” me from my cherished cat, Benji. But due to my neighbor’s quick wit and some past dirt, I not only reunited with my feline companion but also summoned the courage to free myself from a worthless husband.

Benji wasn’t just an ordinary pet to me. He was my soul, my solace, my family. I had rescued him as a tiny kitten during the darkest time of my life—when I was drowning in sorrow after my father’s passing. My husband, John, never truly got it. He mocked my attachment to Benji, calling it “odd.”

However, I never thought he and his mother, Carol, would take things this far.

The moment I stepped into my home after spending the weekend away with my girlfriends, I sensed something was off. The familiar sound of paws skittering across the wooden floor was missing.

Some believed cats didn’t develop deep connections with their owners like dogs did, but Benji proved them wrong every day. He always met me at the door.

But this time, there were no welcoming meows. Just an eerie silence. Worse still, the faint, overwhelming scent of my mother-in-law’s signature perfume lingered in the air.

I walked further inside and spotted John lounging on the couch, his attention locked on his phone.

“Where’s Benji?” I questioned.

He barely spared me a glance. “No clue. Maybe he wandered off,” he muttered with indifference.

His nonchalant response set off alarm bells in my mind. Benji never just “wandered off.” He was strictly an indoor cat—too anxious even to stare out at the backyard for long.

That’s when I noticed Carol seated at the dining table, a smug grin tugging at her thin lips as she casually sipped her coffee.

“Where is my cat?” I demanded, moving toward her.

Carol set her cup down deliberately slowly. “Well,” she began, her tone exasperatingly calm, “I figured your absence was the perfect opportunity to do what needed to be done. You’re finally free of that creature.”

“Excuse me?”

“You were far too fixated on that nasty little furball to pay attention to what actually matters. It’s time to start a family,” she stated with an air of finality. “No need to thank me.”

A surge of searing rage coursed through me. My hands gripped the back of a chair, my fingers pressing into the wood as I fought to stay composed.

“What did you do to him?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Carol let out an exaggerated sigh, waving her hand dismissively. “Oh, Frances, don’t be so melodramatic. You’re 32, for heaven’s sake. It’s time to mature. No more wasting resources on pet food, silly toys, or whatever nonsense.”

I spun toward John, who hadn’t moved a muscle. “You allowed this? And you LIED to me?!”

He simply shrugged again, still glued to his phone. “I think Mom’s got a point. It’s time to move forward.”

“Move forward from what?” My voice cracked with emotion. “From the only thing in my life that actually brings me happiness? Unlike this marriage?”

That got his attention. John finally lifted his gaze, his expression shifting as his face turned red. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’ve never once supported anything that truly mattered to me. Not once. You and your mother just make decisions about my life without even asking what I want.”

Carol abruptly stood, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. “We step in because you clearly lack the ability to make sensible choices on your own. And look at you now, throwing a fit over a cat instead of focusing on your future.”

“You mean a future like this?” A bitter laugh escaped me. “Where my husband can’t make a single decision without consulting his mommy? Where he thinks lying to me is acceptable just to appease you?”

For a fleeting moment, I considered telling her the truth—that John lied to her too. That he hid more than she realized. But I bit my tongue. First, I had to get Benji back.

Carol crossed her arms. “You’re being overly emotional. This is precisely why we had to step in.”

“Tell me where he is,” I said through clenched teeth, stepping even closer. “Now.”

Carol smirked, though a flicker of hesitation crossed her face. “And if I don’t? What exactly do you plan to do about it?”

Before I could reply, movement outside caught my eye. My neighbor, Lisa, was standing in my yard, urgently waving. When our eyes met, she gestured toward her house and silently mouthed something.

Strangely, only I noticed.

“I’ll be right back,” I managed, forcing the words out. “And when I return, I expect an answer.”

Stepping outside, I felt the cool breeze against my flushed skin. Lisa rushed over, leading me across the street to her front yard. That’s when I noticed the phone in her grasp.

“I saw your mother-in-law with Benji yesterday,” she panted. “You need to see this.”

She extended her phone, revealing a Facebook post that made my stomach drop. There was Benji, unmistakable with his snowy fur and vibrant green collar, nestled in the arms of Samantha.

That woman had tormented me all through high school. Yet now, she had rebranded herself into some kind of lifestyle influencer, preaching positivity. Thousands bought into her fake persona, funding her cushy online existence.

But none of that mattered right now. The caption beneath the picture read:

“Meet the latest member of our family! Sometimes the perfect pet finds you. #blessed #newcatmom”

“That’s not all,” Lisa murmured, swiping to a video. “I was outside watering my plants yesterday when I spotted Carol carrying a pet carrier to her car. Something seemed fishy, so I followed her and recorded just in case.”

The footage—shot discreetly from inside Lisa’s vehicle—showed Carol arriving at a modern townhouse. She exited her car, approached the front door, and handed Benji’s carrier to Samantha. My mother-in-law beamed before driving off.

The clip ended.

“I’m so sorry, Frances,” Lisa whispered. “I should have done more.”

“No,” I reassured her, gripping her arm. “You did exactly what I needed. This is perfect.”

Lisa hesitated. “Want me to come with you?”

I shook my head. “Just send me the video. I’ll handle it.”

I stormed back inside. Carol and John, now seated together, were whispering.

Carol scoffed as I entered. “Are you done with the theatrics?”

“Samantha?” I cut her off, watching her expression flicker. “Really? That’s who you gave my cat to?”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” she said smoothly.

“Save it. I have proof. What was the goal? Giving my childhood bully my cat as some twisted payback?”

John rose. “Frances, you need to calm down—”

“Calm down?” I grabbed my car keys. “I’m going to get my cat. When I return, I want you both gone.”

After retrieving Benji and making Samantha sweat, I returned home.

Carol jumped up. “How dare you—”

“No,” I interrupted. “How dare you.”

John folded his arms. “You’re being absurd.”

“I want a divorce.”

Carol gasped. “You ungrateful—”

“I have video proof of your theft,” I stated coldly. “Leave, or I’m calling the cops.”

Carol turned to her son. “This is our house!”

“No,” I corrected, smirking at John. “Didn’t he tell you? I’m the sole owner. His credit is awful. I signed for it alone.”

Carol’s face drained of color.

“Pack up,” John muttered, tugging his mother toward the door.

As it slammed shut, only silence—and Benji—remained.

I pulled out my phone. First, a call to my lawyer. Then, a well-earned gift for Lisa.