From: Jacques Du Pasquier (jacques@dtext.com)
Date: Mon Feb 18 2002 - 04:36:35 MST
J Corbally wrote (17.2.2002/23:07) :
>
> >From: "Jacques Du Pasquier" <jacques@dtext.com>
> >Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2002 13:09:59 +0100
> >Subject: Re: BIOTECH: First Cloned Cat
> >I just love the "pet cloning" idea, I see no reason it won't be
> >socially accepted, and I think it can be very educative, too, and open
> >minds about the good uses of life deliberate manipulation.
> >Jacques
>
> Agreed. People love their pets unconditionally. They'll do just about
> anything for them. I think this'll be beneficial in driving mainstream
> acceptability of the general cloning concept. For serious pet lovers, it
> is a short leap from fido to considering a lost loved one.
Just wondering, by the way: how similar in behaviour are two
genetically identical cats? Would pet owners recognize the clone's
behaviour as their pet's? (Assuming that pets do have distinct
characters, which I think pet owners will confirm.)
I guess that placed in different situations genetically identical cats
will behave differently (because identical wiring does provide for
differential behaviour according to situation), but in same situations
(as will usually happen in the pet situation) they should be quite
alike. Except, maybe, for a few slight differences like the ones
observed in the hair in the experiment.
Observation of twin pets would give some idea of this, though I think
brothers/sisters living together tend to differentiate for adaptive
purpose (each one find his own niche), especially if they happen to
have a character not very compatible with itself. Does someone on the
list have twin pets and could report about this?
Jacques
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