Mouse Figurine In Laws Story is a viral 2019 Reddit relationship post in which a pregnant woman described her in-laws treating a papier-mache mouse named Timothy as their grandchild. After being screenshotted to Twitter, the story went viral for its absurdity and horror.
Origin
On July 9th, 2019, Reddit user Ihaveamouseproblem posted the original story to /r/AmITheAsshole asking whether she was wrong for refusing to talk to her in-laws through their stuffed mice[2]. When most commenters told her she was not the asshole, she reposted a longer version to /r/relationships under the milder title "I'm pregnant and struggling with my husband's lack of support regarding my in-laws' behavior"[1].
Both posts were eventually deleted, but not before screenshots were captured. The poster wrote that her father-in-law would wiggle a mouse plushie in her face saying "My tummy hurts, I am hungry!" and expected her to feed the toy rather than him[1]. She said her husband of ten years defended his parents by claiming "lots of people's stuffed animals talk"[1].
- Platform: Reddit /r/AmITheAsshole (source), Twitter (viral spread)
- Creator: Reddit user Ihaveamouseproblem
- Date: 2019
Overview
Mouse Figurine In Laws Story is a viral first-person Reddit post from July 2019 in which an anonymous 34-year-old woman described her husband's parents' fixation on a collection of mouse plushies and figurines, one of which they insisted was their grandson[1]. The in-laws each voiced individual mice in squeaky voices, gave them backstories, and expected family members to answer the toys directly rather than the person holding them[1].
The story hit its breaking point when the pregnant poster was told she would soon be giving her in-laws "two grandchildren," the second being a giant papier-mache mouse named Timothy[1]. Screenshots of the deleted post went viral on Twitter, where reactions ranged from horror to jokes about the only reasonable solution being to "kill Timothy"[2][3].
How It Spread
On July 10th, 2019, Twitter user @JakeMHS posted screenshots of the /r/relationships version, and the tweet racked up more than 5,200 retweets and 17,000 likes[3][2]. The account @_ElizabethMay reacted that she could not understand why "this lady is posting on an internet forum and not fucking running," pulling roughly 40 retweets and 440 likes[2].
Author @UrsulaV posted the widely quoted verdict "I don't even care if this is fake because it is a terrifying work of genius," which became one of the defining reactions to the thread[2]. A running joke that the poster should simply "kill Timothy" took off through tweets from @rebeccarmix and @TheAmitie, gaining 280 and 150 likes respectively[2].
The Daily Dot ran a full write-up of the saga on July 10th, quoting the plushie dialogue and highlighting the husband's refusal to intervene[1]. Coverage on Lipstick Alley followed, and the story kept a long tail as a go-to reference whenever new in-law horror posts surface on Reddit[2].
How to Use
The story is commonly referenced as shorthand for extreme in-law weirdness or for any family that assigns personhood to inanimate objects. Timothy the papier-mache mouse is often invoked by name in reply threads whenever someone posts a new relationship horror story, typically alongside the joke suggestion to "kill Timothy"[2].
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mouse Figurine In Laws Story?
It is a viral 2019 Reddit post from user Ihaveamouseproblem describing in-laws who treat a collection of mouse plushies, especially a papier-mache mouse named Timothy, as living family members and grandchildren[1].
Where did Mouse Figurine In Laws Story come from?
The original post appeared on Reddit's /r/AmITheAsshole on July 9th, 2019, then was reposted to /r/relationships before being screenshotted to Twitter by @JakeMHS[2][3].
What does Mouse Figurine In Laws Story mean?
It became a byword for extreme in-law dysfunction, particularly the fight over the poster's father-in-law saying her pregnancy meant they would have "two grandchildren," the second being Timothy the mouse[1].
How do you use Mouse Figurine In Laws Story?
People typically reference Timothy or the phrase "kill Timothy" as a punchline under new Reddit horror stories about controlling or bizarre in-laws, echoing the original viral Twitter reactions[2].
Is Mouse Figurine In Laws Story still popular?
It is a classic Reddit story that is still recirculated in "greatest hits" threads about /r/relationships and /r/AmITheAsshole, though the original posts and @JakeMHS's viral 2019 tweet remain the primary artifacts[2][1].
