# Why can't cats be impregnated by humans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 18, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans/571816 "2011-02-18T16:15:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aimew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@Aimew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aimew)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans/571816/1 "2011-02-18T16:15:59Z")
Impregnated, not (necessarily) copulated with, although there are cats large enough once you get past the teeth and claws. Although I believe I know the answer I’ll leave it to the Straight Dope’s amazing staff to get it right. To be clear, I am talking about artificial insemination between cats and humans and why it won’t work (will it?). I thought that was what the original question was about; and I was surprised at the brevity of your answer. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans/571816/2 "2011-02-18T16:37:07Z")
It’s [Why can’t cats be impregnated by humans?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/462/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans) – we like to have a link to the column here. And I agree that Cec did not really answer the question, which is more about genetics than about the relative size of genitalia. ---
**Author:** ![zaratustra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@zaratustra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zaratustra)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans/571816/3 "2011-02-18T19:46:57Z")
> **[Humster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humster)** > > A humster is a hybrid cell line made from a hamster oocyte fertilized with human sperm. This is possible due to the unique promiscuity of hamster ova, which allows them to fuse with non-hamster sperm. It always consists of single cells, and cannot form a multi-cellular being. Humsters are usually destroyed before they divide into two cells; if isolated and left alone to divide, they would still be unviable. > Humsters are routinely created mainly for two reasons: > Somatic cell hybrids between huma... jesus christ how horrifying. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans/571816/4 "2011-02-18T19:52:57Z")
> [@zaratustra](#): > > [Humster - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humster) > > jesus christ how horrifying. Please tell me it’s pronounced [hyumster]…otherwise it sounds like a rodent trained to give blow-jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans/571816/5 "2011-02-18T20:09:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Please tell me it’s pronounced [hyumster]…otherwise it sounds like a rodent trained to give blow-jobs. rotflmao:D Q ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans/571816/6 "2011-02-19T06:59:39Z")
Why can’t cats be impregnated by humans? They can be – our Vet has done it, successfully. He has also impregnated dogs, horses, cows, and pigs. And he’s hardly unique – most experienced vets offer this service. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans/571816/7 "2011-02-21T15:35:55Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > They can be – our Vet has done it, successfully. He has also impregnated dogs, horses, cows, and pigs. And he’s hardly unique – most experienced vets offer this service. One of Tom Lehrer’s jokes was a biography of someone, about whom he said, "His educational career began interestingly enough in agricultural school, where he majored in animal husbandry, until they caught him at it one day. ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-cats-be-impregnated-by-humans/571816/8 "2011-02-21T16:58:45Z")
> [@zaratustra](#): > > [Humster - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humster) > > jesus christ how horrifying. This is begging for a photoshop.