Could my kitten have contracted any diseases from mating with an older male cat?

by Ari
(Brunei Darussalam)

Hello Doctor.

Well, Flippy is my only kitten but she is only 6 months of age. Today, I saw she and the male cat making 'that stuff' , and I am afraid that she is pregnant. I really hope she will have babies. But is it too soon? And the male cat has a problem. I am afraid any infections are transferred to her after doing that sexual activity. The male cat is too old for her. :( And I am now afraid to play with her because maybe the infections may spread to me.

Doctor, please help. :(


Dear Ari,

First, your kitten is not too young to get pregnant. Getting pregnant at such an early age is not ideal, as she may now have to continue growing and developing herself at the same time as her body is supporting kittens. The age of the male cat does not really play a role in her ability to, or the risks of, getting pregnant.

As for the concern of infections, there is a small possibility that your cat could have contracted something from the male cat, but more due to the fact that she was in such close contact with what I assume is a stray cat. The most serious diseases to worry about are Feline Leukemia or Immunodeficiency Virus. If the male cat had either disease when they mated, she may have contracted those. She should be seen and tested by a veterinarian.

There is little need to worry that you will contract a disease from your kitten. Very few cat diseases can be spread to humans, and there are no sexually transmitted diseases a cat may contract that can be spread to humans.

Once you have determined whether or not your kitten is pregnant or after she has kittens, I strongly recommend that you have her spayed. There are so many unwanted, homeless pets out there that need homes, and it is safer for your kitty if she is spayed.

For more information on cat pregnancy, you can read this article. Also, for information on diseases that can be transmitted from cats to humans, you can read more here.

Best wishes,
Dr. Neely