Question:
I was at the cat show at Madison Square Garden's Expo Center, and was surprised to see two Bengal kittens being exhibited as the first cloned pets to be put before the public. I learned that the company responsible, Genetic Savings & Clone, would clone my cat for $50,000, or I could have his cells put in cold storage for later cloning (after he's dead) for $295.This seems all wrong to me. I find it repugnant and unnatural. What is your opinion?.
K.M., New York, NY Feb 27, 2005
Answer:
I share your repugnance, and see this misapplication of biotechnology as a kind of emotional blackmail -- misleading those with money and who love their cats to have clones made to replace their loved ones when they die. It is misleading because clones are never identical, and are prone to developmental defects and impaired immune systems. And many surrogate mother cats are exploited to produce eggs or ova, and to grow the clones in their uteruses, where they are surgically placed but rarely develop to full term (since many are aborted). This explains the high cost.For more details about cloning and genetic engineering of animals and plants, see my latest book, "Killer Foods: When Scientists Manipulate Genes, Better is Not Always Best" (Lyons Press, 2004).
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