World's first cloned cat has kittens

[ali ahmad]

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The world's first cloned cat just became a mother — and she even did it without test tubes. Copy Cat, who was cloned by Texas A&M University researchers in 2001, had three kittens in September. Mother and kittens are doing well, said Duane Kraemer, an A&M veterinary medicine professor who helped clone her and has been taking care of her since.

"They're cute and we thought people ought to know about the birth," Kraemer said. "But we're hoping it doesn't cause the same frenzy CC did."

CC got worldwide attention after she was cloned at Texas A&M, which has cloned more species than any institution in the world, including cattle, swine, goats, horses and a deer.

The father is Smokey, a naturally born tabby who was brought in to mate with CC. Two of the kittens take after their mother, while the third has a gray coat like his father.

CC is not the first cloned cat to give birth, Kraemer said. In New Orleans, two cloned wild African cats successfully mated to produce kittens

[chalakie]

oh my Gooddd...wow!!!

[Owais]

whatever is that. its not good!

[salman77]

The more advance the world gets, the more scarier it gets.

[Lahori paa jee]

Originally Posted by Owais

whatever is that. its not good!

And why do u say this. Whats wrong with it

[Neo]

I think its brilliant to have cloning technology, one day it might safe millions of lives of terminal patients, people won't have to wait for donors and will grow their clone their own tissues or organs.

Can anyone tell me if this is in conflict with Islam as God is the sole creator and organizer of human life?

Just curious...:read:

[A.Rahman]

Originally Posted by Neo

Can anyone tell me if this is in conflict with Islam as God is the sole creator and organizer of human life?

This answer will be divided into two parts, genetic engineering in general and human cloning in particular.

First of all, there is nothing in the Quran specifically talking about genetic manipulation or human cloning since genetic engineering is a new field. In addition, the Quran is a book of guidance not of science, and it is an important source for us to derive certain rulings and guidelines of our behavior.

The field of genetic engineering is very vast and well connected to ethics as much as other sciences. As a matter of fact, nuclear engineering has much more potential to harm human beings than human cloning and Muslims scholars have not forbidden nuclear research in its entirety.

In general, we cannot prohibit genetic research or allow it totally. Each manipulation (whether on plants, animals, or human beings) has to weighed according to its purpose, it usefulness, and the intention of the scientist. If the genetic manipulation carries benefit to human beings, to the society, or to the environment, then it should be allowed. Modifying a gene to prevent certain diseases for humans and animals, and to increase agricultural yield and make certain living species disease resistant is permissible. However, what is not permissible is to get into the scientific exercise of changing the natural course of human reproduction, such as changing the sex of a fetus.

Also, what is totally prohibited is to start cross breeding and genetically manipulating genes between human and animals to give new living beings that are neither humans nor animals, but closer to monsters. Since cloning is an issue that has only appeared since few weeks, it is still a very new field that needs a lot of evaluation and discussions between scientists and Muslims scholars to grasp what the whole thing is about. It is still too soon to make a comprehensive judgment on this topic.

[Lahori paa jee]

Originally Posted by Neo

I think its brilliant to have cloning technology, one day it might safe millions of lives of terminal patients, people won't have to wait for donors and will grow their clone their own tissues or organs.

Can anyone tell me if this is in conflict with Islam as God is the sole creator and organizer of human life?

Just curious...:read:

Cloning is sometimes termed as "Playing God". But i feel if its used for the benefit of mankind there is nothing wrong with it.

Remember transplants were termed as un-islamic at one stage but only when Saudis needed organ transplants, they issued a Fatwa declaring Transplants and blood transfusion as not contradictory to Islam.

It may take sometime for people to start accepting organ transplants and the research in cloning. Ask the one who is in desparate need of an organ if cloning is ethical or unethical.

Here is something interesting for you people. The huge amount of research in organ transplant is being done on Champanzee's and Pigs.

[Owais]

Originally Posted by Lahori paa jee

And why do u say this. Whats wrong with it

Cloning can be used for many negative purposes. you may understand what I mean

[Lahori paa jee]

But its uses are many compared to misuses. The most important of which is to save human life.

Identity theft is a major issue looming over the ethics of cloning

[Neo]

Thanks Rahman and Paa Jee.
Imho if the technology is put into practice on large scale to clone human organs or body parts for medical use, it could upset the religious hardliner.

But we're talking long terms here, they technology is still in an early stage and needs further developping.

Btw when I first saw the picture of a mouse with a cloned ear growing out of its back it made wonder if this is ethically correct.

[Neo]

Originally Posted by Lahori paa jee

But its uses are many compared to misuses. The most important of which is to save human life.

Identity theft is a major issue looming over the ethics of cloning

Have you seen the movie called 'The island'?
Its not about identity theft but creating own clone as insurance.

Pretty much science fiction now but might be a reality in 50-60 years from now...
Scary!!

[Lahori paa jee]

Originally Posted by Neo

Thanks Rahman and Paa Jee.
Imho if the technology is put into practice on large scale to clone human organs or body parts for medical use, it could upset the religious hardliner.

But we're talking long terms here, they technology is still in an early stage and needs further developping.

Btw when I first saw the picture of a mouse with a cloned ear growing out of its back it made wonder if this is ethically correct.

That was a horrible sight. But a time may come when we wont need such carriers and body parts can be grown in vivo. The good news is we are not far from this great achievement