Little Nicky (cat) facts for kids

Little Nicky (born October 17, 2004) was the first cat ever created through a process called cloning for a customer. He was made using the DNA (genetic information) from a 17-year-old Maine Coon cat named Nicky, who had passed away in 2003. Little Nicky's owner, a woman from north Texas named Julie, paid $50,000 to have her beloved cat Nicky cloned. Julie said that Little Nicky was very much like the original Nicky, sharing a similar personality and even looking alike.

How Little Nicky Was Cloned

The cloning of Little Nicky was done by a company in California called Genetic Savings & Clone. This company later closed down in 2006. Before Little Nicky, this company had already helped with the first successful cloning of a cat ever, working with Texas A&M University.

To create Little Nicky, scientists used a special method called "chromatin transfer." This is a way of moving genetic material to make a copy. The idea to clone Little Nicky came from a special offer the company had in 2004, which they called the "Nine Lives Extravaganza." This event was a way for people to try and bring their pets back through cloning.

See also

• Pet cloning – Learn more about cloning pets
• CC (cat) – The very first cat ever cloned
• Genetic Savings & Clone – The company that cloned Little Nicky
• List of individual cats – A list of famous cats