Devastated by the loss of their 18-year-old cat Cinnabun, a US couple tried to immortalise her. Photo / Getty Images
A US couple has paid over NZ$37,000 to immortalise their beloved cat before she died.
When Cinnabun was approaching her 19th birthday, owners Bryan and Ashley Bullerdick from North Carolina decided to look into pet cloning.
"Cinnabun was so dear to us. She had unique markings that no other cat would have," Ashley told Fox News.
"She clung to me, she slept with me at night, by my head on my pillow. She was right by my side throughout the day."
They had rescued Cinnabun as a kitten when they were newlyweds, and their children had grown up with the fluffy grey cat.
"We never really thought much about the cost," Bryan said.
"It is a lot of money but I know people who spend that on vacations all the time.
They first considered cloning after learning about Barbra Streisand cloning her Maltipoo dog, Sammie.
LIke Streisand, they purchased a NZ$2400 DNA kit from ViaGen.
Cloning a dog will set you back about NZ$75,000, while a cat will cost NZ$52,000.
It is more expensive to clone a dog as they only go into heat once or twice a year, while a cat's reproductive cycle is much more frequent.
After collecting skin samples from Cinnabun, the Bullerdick family was required to pay NZ$2380 to preserve the cells with an annual storage fee of NZ$225 on top.
A donor egg was then taken from a donor animal, and injected with Cinnabun's DNA, which was grown in a laboratory.
The manufactured embryo was then implanted into a surrogate animal, who gave birth to kittens which were genetically identical to Cinnabun.
The couple say they have no regrets about cloning their pet, and would definitely consider doing it again.
Sadly the original Cinnabun passed away before she met her genetic twin, Cinnabun 2 - born in February.
"I knew that when she died, I would get her again in the clone," Ashley said.
"It gave me so much comfort to know that I would see her again with the new Cinnabun."
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