Question:
Today's news tells of a woman who cloned her cat that she had for 15 years. She missed it so much that she paid $50,000 for this clone.

Here's the story
So if you had the bucks, think that you would do the same?

Choices:
Sure, way not?
Not in this lifetime
Don't know at this time
Who cares?
If I had that kind of money, I have myself cloned

 

Even if I had the money, don't think that I could justify the cost.

I'd like to say that I'd probably be able enough to just let my pet go, but if I can and I really loved her in particular, I guess hey, why not keep it going? Then again, the personality wouldn't be the exact same and isn't that what counts?

Jusork, in this news article the lady who paid for the cloning said “He is identical. His personality is the same,” Imagine that!

Wow, really? Didn't know that.

That's just too far fetched for me. The poor woman! She had a good pet and gave it a good home. She should get on with her life... and not linger in the past.

(This is just me being weird - cuz I just lost one of my cats due to his heart giving out.)

Wow..that´s a tough one. We all love our pets and want the best for them for sure. I guess what is important is to do the best for them wile they are with us.

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Karrow,

I love my cat, I think she is unique and think I'll miss her terribly. I don't think paying that kind of money is reasonable but it it were something less expensive then I would consider it.

Ewwww, no!
I miss my Mister Whittens terribly, he was my best buddy and favorite snuggle for 15 years and a carbon copy would, for me, only be a constant, living reminder of the loss...I would find it creepy and sad to have a fake Mister running around the house.

I had a cat when I was a kid, his name was Kikoo and I loved him immoderately. He had been dropped off by our gate as a tiny kitten. (That was a frequent stratagem in those days to get rid of unwanted animal offspring: drop them off at a farm that had kids.)

He died of feline distemper when he was about three. (On the farm, we neither spayed or castrated nor inoculated our animals.)

The following spring an identical kitten was dropped off. I searched his body carefully for even a few hairs in a different pattern. Couldn't find any. He also had the same sweet disposition. I named him Kikoo. For a few weeks I believed in re-incanation. Then I got a good lecture from my Catholic family. I guess that's as close to a clone as I'm likely to see.

I think it's a nice attribute we humans have, that we like pets. I think it's a measure of our maternal/paternal instinct. It's also a human trait that we don't want to lose our loved ones. But we can adopt another unwanted one, and thus do more good, than cloning.

Besides, cloning research is very cruel. (Read in detail the story of Dolly the Sheep.) I'd hate to think that thousands of cats and kittens are subjected to it, in order to produce a technology to satisfy a human longing.

I'm with MrsS on this one. Besides, if I lost my favorite snuggle I'm sure that a new and improved model could be found. I'll try something new! Who knows? He might be better.

"Cloning" is very often misunderstood anyway. Just because you have the same GENETIC critter, doesn't mean you will have the same critter that you had before.

After all, identical twins are the same exact genetic start, but they are by no means the same people at all. Life experiences make each of us unique.. pets and animals would be included in that diversity of development.

You might end up with a mean spirited recluse of a cat whereas your Mr Snuggles (The one he was cloned from) was the most loving pet in the world.

I tend to agree that my pet probably wouldn't turn out the same for one critical reason - she lived in the freezing cold for several months before being rescued and I'm pretty convinced that some of her charm comes from slight brain damage and an overwhelming fear of abandonment. She is super affectionate and loving, but occasionally slips into repetitive zones that she can't get out of... kind of autistic or something.

To create a copy would require not only cloning but also torturing an animal and that simply isn't an option.

Ami, I agree.

I had a beloved pet cat named "Elmer". I, personally, rescued him from attacks from the neighbors HUGE dogs. He was a kitten without even open eyes yet, and I found him in a local swampy area being attacked by these two dogs.. they were a german shepherd and another huge dog.

I think exposure to the elements and damage from the dogs damaged him also. He was .. well, slow, but he was always super affectionate and lay in my lap for hours while I read my books. Just the perfect companion.

I would never advocate the WAY he became the way he is, but he was a HUGE (25 to 30 pound tabby/Simese mix) loving dummy. But he was mine and I loved him.

never cloned, but a hybrid of my pooch and freyja would be awesome. then i'd have a reminder of both, but in a whole new package.