Expert: Walter Hintz - 8/7/2006

Question
Dear Mr. Hintz:

My girlfriend has a cat which is like a son to her but muffy (cat) is suffering from chronic renal failure.  I pains me to see them both suffering (the cat and her)and would like to know if it is feasible to clone the cat's good kidney and surgically attach the cloned kidney to save its life given today's level of technology?  Please respond to me with the name of a company that would perform this type of cloning if it is technologically possible.  Thank you in advance.

Sincerely,

Albert Paz
(650)669 0228

Answer
Hi Albert; Please accept my sympathies about Muffy.  I lost my cat a few years back and I still feel badly about it but she was very old and sick.
If the cat has renal failure then both kidneys must be affected.  There is no technology available today for cloning organs for animals.
Furthermore I believe that to subject a cat that is dying to a kidney transplant would be cruel.
 If Muffy is in pain then I feel that it should be euthanized.
 Why don't you find your girlfriend a kitten?