MIL names her cat after our son

[JKT007]

Am I being unreasonable thinking it's very odd that my MIL named her kitten the same name as our son, her grandson?

@PeterPomegranate Agreed. I dont want to make this an issue for my MIL & I most certainly dont want her to to feel bad for doing it. I just find it very odd that she did it.

I think it's really sweet... it's her way off showing ❤ for her grandson

nowt queer as folk.

I agree OP, it’s strange.

I would think this was hilarious.

It’s odd. If MIL did this I would feel really weird about it.

Is it all that important? I suspect she misses him and/or likes the name.

Unless your son is called Fluffy or Socks in which case you may be the one with the problem haha

Damn, that's exactly what I was going to say 😂

I'd certainly have said something when she announced the cat's name but I honestly don't think it would upset me. Although, I can appreciate that a lot of people would find it annoying.

I think I'd be quite flattered if one of my adult DCs named their pet after me, as long as it wasn't some ugly breed of dog or some slimy thing like a pet worm.

One of my dc was friends with a child in care
All his connections were broken when he was adopted, including his Foster family. His favourite cuddly toy was named after my dc, I really hoped he still has that link to the past, it felt like the first few years were being wiped from him.

Onto the MIL, it really wouldn't bother me and doesn't sound particularly odd. I really liked one of my cats names and briefly considered it when pg.

Yes that's really odd.

I wouldn't make a deal out of it but I'd personally add 'cat' onto the end of the name, to make it a different name if I referred to him.

So it would be 'BenCat' or 'TheoCat' or whatever and I'd make sure DH and dc did it too.

Eventually this cat is going to die and I'd find hearing MIL being upset and referring to 'Theo has died' a bit sickening tbh so this would be my way of future proofing that iyswim.

I name all my pets after friends and relations. I couldn't say how normal that it is. It seems normal to me but I'm not really the best person to judge.

But this is completely different you cannot compare ,people who give their children the same first name as the surname is actually quite common and lovely. It's a cat the op is talking about here

@Hollywolly1

Id say choosing to give your kid the same first name as their last name is far weirder than a MIL naming their cat after a beloved GC.

”this is Tommy the cat and this is Tommy my Grandson playing together” - that is cute

”hello I’m Johnson Johnson here for my prescription” - that is funny and weird

Dsis has a dog that shares a name with my dc. (she got the dog way after dc was born). Didn't occur to me to be bothered about it. The name suits both the dog and dc!

I think she probably thought your son would like it and maybe bond with the cat because of a shared name. My kids would have loved it.
This is honestly no big deal, at best it's just a little odd.

On a separate note, maybe I'm getting old and therefore just noticing it, but there seems to be quite a disparaging attitude towards older people on here. There are posts wondering why mil would get a kitten at her stage of life and that it will be tricky to keep the toddler from the litter tray/getting scratched. Or that she's done it because she's worried about dementia and wants to reinforce the name. Can I gently remind people that many mils are in their 40s/50s and not quite at deaths door and their lives do not revolve around facilitating ease of care for other peoples children. Even old people are allowed to do what they want with their lives!

Its lucky little kids never share names in school or playgroup, how would they handle the confusion?

Tongue in cheek or having a pop, who can tell these days.

On a separate note, maybe I'm getting old and therefore just noticing it, but there seems to be quite a disparaging attitude towards older people on here.

It's nothing to do with your getting old, and tbh, I'm surprised you've only just noticed the attitude towards older people on here.

Ageism is rife on MN, has been for years.

Doesn't make a lot of sense really, as all the people disparaging older people will one day be old themselves.

No doubt they'll be the sort of old people that will post on MN making nasty remarks about children and young people.

Some people just have a very odd attitude to anyone who isn't exactly like them.

I named my eldest after a hamster.....no I didn't I just really liked the name, so reused it. Nothing weird about that. My kid thinks it's hilarious.

Can’t your DH just ask his DM why? I think it’s odd.

Honestly, some of you need to get out more! It is not odd or weird - a name is just a name.

We have a tradition of naming our livestock after family members. Its a running joke that everyone loves and is now a badge of silly honour. Pigs, sheep, cattle, cockerels have all have been named after parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, neices, nephews.

I know someone who has a cat a called Milo after her brother. I would find it a huge compliment if someone names their cat after me but I am a crazy cat lady so probably not the best person to ask.

I get out plenty.

It is odd.

I think it’s odd but hilarious. At least your son had the name first.😀

Is it exactly the same or a shortened version - eg Thomas/Tom? I only ask because my MIL (30 odd years ago) gave their puppy the same name as mine, only it was a shortened version (eg Elizabeth/Liz) and when I pointed it out, it hadn't occurred to her. She didn't change it though.

Of course it isn't as bad as naming it after their only grandchild. I would be more put out than you seem to be, it is an odd thing to do.

When we bought this house, we discovered that the vendors' two children had the same names as our two cats.😂