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The first cloned-to-order pet sold in the United States is named Little Nicky, a 9-week-old kitten delivered to a Texas woman saddened by the loss of a cat she had owned for 17 years.

The kitten cost its owner $50,000 and was created from DNA from her beloved cat, named Nicky, who died last year.

"He is identical. His personality is the same," the owner, Julie, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. Although she agreed to be photographed with her cat, she asked that her last name and hometown not be disclosed because she said she fears being targeted by groups opposed to cloning.

Yet while Little Nicky, who was delivered two weeks ago, frolics in his new home, the kitten's creation and sale has reignited fierce ethical and scientific debate over cloning technology, which is rapidly advancing.

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Cloned Cat Sale Generates Ethics Debate

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"He is identical. His personality is the same," the owner, Julie, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

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*COUGH*BULLSHIT*COUGH*

Identical twins do not have the same personalities. They also do not develope 100% the same. Some have moles the other does not...and many other minute variations. I hate when people say cloning replicates everything cause it does NOT. It does a disservice to people who are expecting great things from cloning.

I am glad this was in the article though:

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In fact, the first cat cloned in 2001 had a different coat from its genetic donor, underscoring that environment and other biological variables make it impossible to exactly duplicate animals.

(AP) Julie holds her nine-week-old cat "Little Nicky" Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004 in Texas. "Little Nicky"...
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"The thing that many people do not realize is that the cloned cat is not the same as the original," said Bonnie Beaver, a Texas A&M animal behaviorist who heads the American Veterinary Medical Association, which has no position on the issue. "It has a different personality. It has different life experiences. They want Fluffy, but it's not Fluffy."

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Originally posted by Acid:
The 6th Day!

Thats cool but wierd at the same time.

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Exactly. What about human cloning, though? It's one thing to genetically manipulate animals for human benefit, but it is a whole other ball of wax to do so with humans like they did in the 6th Day movie. There are all kinds of ethical and practical considerations not the least of which being the fact that the failure rate of cloned animals is way too high to risk human experimentation. Even if we knew we could successfully clone humans there is still a host of ethical problems.

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Originally posted by Mute:
Exactly. What about human cloning, though? It's one thing to genetically manipulate animals for human benefit, but it is a whole other ball of wax to do so with humans like they did in the 6th Day movie. There are all kinds of ethical and practical considerations not the least of which being the fact that the failure rate of cloned animals is way too high to risk human experimentation. Even if we knew we could successfully clone humans there is still a host of ethical problems.

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Snag, All I can say is that I tried to put as much emphasis on the word exactly as I could. I did say it would be impossible too.

Here is what happens when cloning goes wrong. My wife and tried to clone a reindeer because we thought it would be cute wandering around the yard plus we had to simply try out that cloning kit we got last Christmas. Well, suffice to say old Wobble the Reindeer isn't going too far. Quite how he got so fat without a mouth is beyond us....
Wobble the Reindeer

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Cost of gas to drive to animal pound and find matching kitten: 2 dollars

Cost of spray paint to touch up kitten(if applicable): 3 dollars

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Originally posted by Mad Max:
Well, suffice to say old Wobble the Reindeer isn't going too far. Quite how he got so fat without a mouth is beyond us....
Wobble the Reindeer

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Poor Wobble looks pathetic and drunk with his sad eyes and bulbous red nose. He can't join in any reindeer games, so he looks for solace in the bottom of a bottle of christmas spirits. This is a clear case of animal cruelty, and I'm going to report you to PETA's malnutritioned and legless stuffed animals division. No stuffed reindeer should have to suffer in this way.

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We may go see Meet the Fockers tonight.

Do you think it will be worth it?

Hard to tell.

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Originally posted by dAm:
Another company has figured out how to remove the gene in cats that make people allergic to them. They'll go for I think 15,000.00 when they hit the market in a year or two.

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more likely remove the gene from humans that makes them sneeze

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WELCOME TO ALLERCA. ALLERCA is working to produce the world's first hypoallergenic cats. These cats will allow some of the millions of people allergic to cats to enjoy the love and companionship of a household pet without suffering from allergy symptoms.

Note: I was wrong about the price. They're only 3500.00 US.

[ 12-24-2004: Message edited by: dAm ]

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I'm not aware of that problem having been overcome recently.

That's what killed Dolly.

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