In a story that blends science and heartache, a Canadian woman has achieved the extraordinary feat of cloning her cat. Despite the hefty price tag, she has successfully obtained not one but two clones of her cherished Ragdoll cat, Bear. After enduring two unsuccessful cloning attempts, and investing $50,000, Kris Stewart finds solace in the arrival of two new kittens, who happen to be Bear’s replicas.
Canadian woman receives 2 Ragdoll kittens that are clones of her dead cat
Cloning her cherished Ragdoll cat twice has been a bittersweet journey for a Canadian woman, as People reports. Kris Stewart embarked on her cloning quest in February 2022, just a month after her beloved cat Bear tragically passed away. Despite facing two failed cloning attempts, Stewart, from the Vancouver area, finds comfort in Bear Bear and Honey Bear, genetic replicas of her beloved feline companion.
“I just felt like there was more living that needed to be done by Bear,” Stewart explained. Continuing, she added, “Bear was the smartest animal I think I’ve ever had, and I’ve had animals since I was two years old.”
Additionally, she expressed her delight with her new kittens, noting that they are already exhibiting similarities to her beloved Bear. In her words, “They both seem like Bear… These guys are bold and sassy.”
The cloning process began when Stewart sent Bear’s DNA to ViaGen Pets. They are a Texas-based company famous for their pet cloning expertise.
Moreover, ViaGen’s website details its cloning process, which entails creating a genetic twin of a cat using its DNA. This involves placing the DNA-containing embryo into a surrogate cat, who then gives birth to the cloned kitten.
ViaGen’s website further elaborates that cat cloning preserves the genetic makeup of the original cat without any genetic modification. Therefore, this ensures that the cloned cat shares many key attributes, such as appearance, temperament, and intelligence, with the original.
In addition, Stewart attempted four embryo transfers using Bear’s DNA. Consequently, she witnessed two unsuccessful cloning attempts before the birth of Bear Bear and Honey Bear.
