Cloned cat in heat seeks mate

A cloned cat in Qingdao, Shandong province, is currently seeking a potential partner, and its owners－a research team from Qingdao Agricultural University－posted a "seeking marriage" notice online for the 9-month-old feline last month.

The cat is believed to be the first to be cloned at a domestic university. Researchers said that a partner would help further research on the viability of the cloned cat's reproductive ability and cloning technology.

The cat was born on Dec 24 through a process of somatic (non-reproductive) cell nuclear transfer, in which an embryo is created from a body cell and an egg cell. A British Longhair, she has grown into an active adolescent in the past months. She was deemed ready to mate when one of the researchers discovered she was in heat, which they said was normal for cats 6 months to a year old.

Zhao Minghui, an associate professor at the university's College of Life Science who led the research team, said it hopes to find a tomcat of the same breed and free of genetic disease to mate with their clone.

Reproductive ability is an important indicator of whether a clone is healthy, said Zhao, adding that the cat's ability to transfer biological information to the next generation would prove the success of cloning. By Sept 19, three elite British Longhairs had been chosen as potential suitors, and researchers are negotiating with their owners to scientifically assess them. "Once a tomcat is finally selected, we will let the couple live together and see what happens," he said.