Cloned Cats

[Purr]

The first cloned-to-order pet, a cat, was sold in the United States earlier this December. A Texas woman bought the cat for $50,000, as a replacement for Nicky, her Maine Coon cat of 17 years. The new kitten is named Litty Nicky. The cat was cloned by Genetic Savings and Clone, out of Sausalito, California. The company has been responsible for cloning 5 cats since 2001, including the first cloned cat. The company is working on delivering as many as 5 more cats to customers who have paid the $50,000 fee; by the end of next year, it hopes to have cloned as many as 50 cats. The company also hopes to produce the first cloned dog by next May.

I'm amazed that the technology exists to clone a lost pet. But, at the same time, there are a lot of homeless pets, and $50,000 would go a long way towards helping them.

[Purr]

Here's pictures of Nicky, the donor cat, and Little Nicky, the cloned cat. They do look alike.

[Purr]

And here's another picture of Little Nicky. He's really a cute kitten! :D

[Purr]

And here's a picture of Nicky with Julie, the proud owner.

[Jonathan]

Cute kitten but, as yoy say, there are so many natural pets out there (not to mention hosts of other socail problems) that this seems like a poor use of $50,000 indeed...

[Note: I'm not saying that those with the money for this don't have a right to do so, I just question the implicit prioritizations :? ]

[Peor]

How cute the kitten may be, I too find it a waste of money. Also, I wouldn't want to clone a loved one. That is a bit eerie, to have a copy of someone, just because you can get yourself to let go. Besides that, I think it does injustice to the cloned animal/human, because the people expect the animal/human to be exactly the same as the original. The cloned animal should be valued as individual, not as a desperate attempt to recreate what is lost. People forget that being cloned only means that the physical appearance is the same, but the personality will not be exactly the same, because it is not a identical situation and background from the original.

Also, as you all already mentioned, of many, many animal shelters with sweet (and not so lovable ;)) pets are needy for a home. I also wonder how good the cloning procedure really is (if the cloned animal won't have any complications linked to the cloning later on in life, premature aging, etc. Just think of Dolly the sheep).

Of course, as Jonathan wrote, it's her money and her life and she can do with it whatever she likes and wants. But that doesn't mean I necessary agree :)

[darskayairene]

I'm against any cloning! Especially of humans! It is very dangerous! We even don't imagine what it can bring us in future - just imagine an army consisting of millions of cloned cruel humans and s.o...