Businessman Huang Yu has become China's first cloned cat's proud pet parent. Devastated by Garlic's death, Huang requested the services of the Sinogene biotechnology company. According to the Chinese media outlet The Global Times, the Beijing-based company charged Huang 250,000 yuan (about $35,000 US) to produce a clone of his beloved pet.
According to The New York Times, the resulting kitten, also called Garlic, was born on July 21 and will remain in the Sinogene laboratory for another month before being sent home.
"Garlic is irreplaceable in my heart. Garlic left nothing for future generations, so I could only choose to clone," Huang said in a New York Times interview.
Although cloning does not ensure hundred percent results, "there is more than 90 percent similarity between the two cats," Mr. Huan claims. After a month of observation in the Sinogene laboratory, the $35,000 gray-and-white kitten was sent to Mr. Huang.
