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Hypo-Allergenic Cats Now Available for Pre-Order
humuhumunukunukuapu' writes "Allerca Inc is now taking reservations for genetically engineered hypo-allergenic cats, which it calls 'lifestyle pets'... and apparently they are just the beginning... Read the press release here... and you can take delivery of a cuddy non-sinus bothering bundle of joy for just $3500. 'The hypoallergenic cats produced by ALLERCA will allow consumers to enjoy the love and companionship of a pet without the cost, inconvenience, risk, and limited effectiveness of current allergy treatments. Clients will take delivery of the first ALLERCA kittens in 2007. The hypoallergenic cat is the first of a planned series of lifestyle pets that ALLERCA will develop over the next few years.' Meow!"
Who would want to own a cat?
Sincerely,
A Dog Person
</wishfulthinking>
Sigs cause cancer.
Wait until one mistake that turns these cute little kittens into Hyper-Allergenic.
On a more serious note though, I think everybody has her/his ideal world in mind, and this GE is offering the opportunity to achieve that.
However, like the old saying "One person's meat is another person's poison", I believe there is a reason for such allergy symptoms (maybe telling your body to get away from that bleeming cat?), and without this warning, I wonder if the still-allergic-to-cat person will suffer from far worse sickness because one of the cat allergens wasn't identified and removed?
Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
I, for one, welcome our new genetically-engineered cat overlords.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
...and you've still got to housetrain the bastard.
If only they'd genetically engineer fashion models to like nerds... Overweight fetishes are a plus.
/^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
mmmm, time to go and get some satay :)
No beer, no TV make Lifthrasir something something
when owners start breeding from them and selling on the kittens??? Will there be a strict EULA that forbids the owner from breeding and that they must have them neutered at the first available opportunity???
Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
It's been a whole 5 seconds, and there are no 6th day comments yet! Must be a busy day *sips coffee*
That's quite an accomplishment, and also a little freaky... though it probably won't be an issue so long as they all come spayed or neutered.
;)
Most promising, however, is that they may someday be able to apply their techniques to produce a Presidential candidate that doesn't make so many voters sick.
Call me back when they have lasers on sharks. Then I'll be impressed...
Other genetic methods may produce allergen-fee cats, but these procedures rely on nuclear transfer (cloning)
Wow, so these cats blackmail their owners, if no fee is paid, they'll release the allergen!
Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
I can make my cat like that with a shaver, but he wouldnt like that, and anyone who has cat allergys can just stay away, so yeah, does the cat come in a test-tube and you just have to add water?
(\_/)
(O.o) This is Bunny. Add Bunny to your signature
(> <) to help him achieve world domination.
I want a blue/green genetically engineered cat with more brain power. Plus improve their eating habits to eat once per day, and do their dirty work once a day. Welcome to the Genetically Engineered pet era.
without the cost
RESTRICTIONS: 'Without cost' offer excludes $3,500 startup fee, prices and participation may vary.
Dragging people kicking and screaming into reality since 1996.
We all knew this day would come. Apparently, we can do it. But should we?
Looks like dark days ahead for Sony!
All my family's cats are adopted. 3500 bucks would pay for my allergy medicine (not just to cat dander) for...a while. Probably longer than the lifetime of the cat.
If you can't see the value in jet powered ants you should turn in your nerd card. - Dunbal (464142)
Call me when they have pets that don't require feeding and don't shit in the yard.
When they can genetically engineer a cat to fetch and respond to it's name then sign me up!!
SCO (noun.)- A Slimy Corporate Ogre. Often seeks free money.
video
We got a cat, it was free... we named it 1.
We did this for two reasons. First, if it has a number, we're less attached to it when the inevitable happens. Second, my wife was allergic to cats but we weren't sure how badly.
If we had spent $3500 on a cat, we're then somehow obligated to spend $4000 on feline coronary bypass surgery, $8000 on a feline tummy-tuck, and $3000 on feline counseling services.... Where does this end?
Trying to use sarcasm in text-based forums does not work.
Damn. And I paid $65 for mine from the shelter, which included a vet check-up, all vaccines, and spaying.
I assume this company will be neutering/spaying before they give them to their customers. Otherwise, people would just breed their own, and then sell the kittens.
ok, do we really need more pets? There are freakin everywhere!!!, how about making a virus that makes them infertile or something?! seriously let's stick the genetic engineering to animals that we eat and plants (ok that won't happen) but anyways too many animals!!! someone please email me a burger, thanks
Signatures are so 90s
Cornish Rex
...are all "hypo-allergenic" breeds (don't produce dander).
Devon Rex
Siberian
Sphynx
MEOW!!
-"Super Troopers"
welcome our new hypo-allergenic feline masters. But seriously, the future is now. This is kinda cool and creepy at the same time, since this is the stuff I've seen only in cheesy science fiction movies.
Don't trust a bull's horn, a doberman's tooth, a runaway horse or me.
Here
In Soviet Russia, Trojan exploits YOU!
...until I can get a hyper allogenic BONSAI KITTEN!
Of course, I don't understand why you care if your cat is alergic to stuff...
HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
From the site:
Priced at $3,500, the cost of an ALLERCA kitten is similar or less than some of the more exotic cat breeds available today.
Ummhh.. yeah.. But, it's a bit more than the "free kittens" we all see signs for throughout our home towns.
I wonder if "hypo-allergenic" means "non-allergenic" in this context. If someone suffers from cat allergies, a "hypo-allergenic" cat may not be enough, giving them a false sense of security until AFTER they plop down the $3500. If it was a non-allergenic cat, then we can party.
corporations genetically engineering my favorite foods.
with frickin' laser beams?
Look behind you...
I shure hope so.
An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
So they're reducing the amount this gene is about to produce this protein. Is there a reason why cats produce this protein and by reducing it cause any health issues with the cat?
I like both cats and dogs but am allergic to the former. So while a cat that doesn't give me an asthma attack would be pretty cool, I find GE stuff to be distasteful at best. I'm sure this is self contradictory somewheres, but I don't think fiddling with an animals genome is a good idea. Hence my dilemma. Guess I'll stick with Option C then, and just enjoy the rottie;-)
If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
So go back there. Here's a link.
Bye.
For $3500, kitty better have at least 20GB of storage in her butt.
Breeders already have cats that are missing the allergen causing protein from their saliva.
Bengal Cats and Siberian-Russians are two such breeds, and several unofficial subbreeds also fit the bill.
Google if you want breed info, but Bengals are a short haired, very outgoing breed with great social skills and tons of energy. The also play fetch and are suprisingly clever. Siberian-Russians are a long haired breed who behave more like traditional cats, in that they can be fat and lazy all the way through to hyper.
I'm pretty optimistic about the future. I think I may find out, in my lifetime, if androids dream of electric sheep!
I do have a really bad joke on the mind that involves a New Zealander and electric sheep. However I won't share so that I can spare some peoples feelings...
What could possibly go wrong?
So, are there other genetic changes they make to the cats? For example, making them infertile?
Otherwise, how do they prevent people from buying a few of them, breeding them, and undercutting their market?
I am allergic to cats, so I've never really considered getting one before. But, if these come down to the couple hundred dollar range, I might be interested. But, at $3,500/each, I think I'll instead go for that dual 2.5GHz G5 Mac.
I mean really. Those things are cute as hell, but damn do they smell. Engineer away those musk glands, and I'd buy one up in a jiffy.
Here is a short summary of the man page for my dog.
;) performs well according to input givem from the user. Like any canine, with bad programming or inadequate data, she will not behave correctly. A canine that bluescreens is not a good dog.
I have a Yorkie-Mini Schnauzer cross, and she has the following features:
1) Incredibly cute. Daisy's Picture
2) Does not pee on the carpet. I strongly reccomend this book, an absolute must for humanely and effectively training your dog.
3) She triggers no cat allergies whatsoever.
4) She did not cost $3500.
5) She, like other dogs, after adequate programming (RTFM in point #2 above
6) She is not a cat.
In all seriousness though, get that book and train your dog. Yorkies or any other dog will not pee on your carpet if you train them appropriately. Note, some dogs may have medical reasons that cause inadvertant leakage, you may need to check with your vet about this.
Try to hack my 31337 firewall!
In case you're a cat lover with allergies (like me) and not entirely fond of genetic engineering (also like me), there are a few breeds of cats that are naturally hypo-allergenic. We had a devon rex (http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/devon.html) that never gave me any allergy problems. They look a little odd until you get used to them, but now all other cats just look strange to me. I believe there are other breeds as well (the cornish rex, for one) that play nice with your allergies.
And the $3500 price tag on one of these makes the $600 I spent look a lot more reasonable.
...dogs with dietary allergies.
Seriously, if you are that hard up for companionship, $3500 will pay for some nice hookers.
So in China will these cats be banned as GM Food?
(If at first you don't succeed, do it different next time!)
"Clients will take delivery of the first ALLERCA kittens in 2007. The hypoallergenic cat is the first of a planned series of lifestyle pets that ALLERCA will develop over the next few years."
Notice the "will develop". Notice the 2007 date. Notice the high price tag. Genetic engineering is not like building a car. It's unpredictable. At this point, their 'research' is vaporware at best.
"A glycoprotein, Fel d 1, secreted by the sebaceous glands, is the major cat allergen. This allergen is found in the fur, pelt, saliva, serum, urine, mucous, salivary glands, and hair roots of the cat.
Using patented genetic technology, the ALLERCA team will focus on the particular gene that produces the Fel d 1 glycoprotein. Using a technique known as "gene silencing", the process reduces the gene's ability to produce the protein."
Will silencing this protein have undesirable effects? Nobody knows. And it's only the 'major' allergen, not the only one.
I wouldn't be betting 3500$ on this at the moment. Altought its a cute idea. Cats as guinea pigs for genetic engineering anyone?
Eureka Science News - automatically updated
When they can genetically engineer a cat to fetch and respond to it's name then sign me up!!
I've got one that responds to its name, and can learn how to do simple tasks (such as open doors and window sashes once it sees how the humans do it). No genetic engineering required.
Cats are, however, too intelligent to play fetch.
Coming soon - pyrogyra
house training huh... my wife and I have 2 cats.. first thing ya do is drop them in the litter box when you bring them home, scratch their paws in it.. and you're done. they are trained for life. havent had an accident.. ever.
?SYNTAX ERROR IN LINE 42
Surely it's not April 1st already?
-Rich
Maybe they will be able to genetically engineer a woman who won't be repulsed by my face
How the hell did the term "pussy" arise in the American language?
I really don't get it, did cats used to have something to do with.. you know?
Like what? They used cats during sex or something?
Online backup with Mozy, sounds like Ozzie, but more!
Just build up a tollerance to the cat.
Since I was young, I've been extremely alergic to anything with fur. Guinnea pigs, gerbils, dogs, cats, you name it.
I had to get rid of a Guinnea pig because I broke out in hives.
I got a dog when I was about 13, and even though it killed my alergies for a while, I got used to it. Now I have 3 dogs and a cat, and none bother my alergies.
Alergies are an extreme response from the body to a foreign substance. By building up a tolerance, the body reacts less extremely.
Mod points are pointless when you browse at -1.
From their site:
A glycoprotein, Fel d 1, secreted by the sebaceous glands, is the major cat allergen. This allergen is found in the fur, pelt, saliva, serum, urine, mucous, salivary glands, and hair roots of the cat.
Allerca cats will only lack one of the potential cat allergens... potentially deadly for people allergic to other proteins secreted by the cats. In addition, the gene silencing technique (I assume they refer to RNAi perhaps using siRNAs) cannot be guaranteed 100% effective--all it takes is one mutation.... More info about RNAi here and here.
However, as someone with moderately severe cat allergies, this is definitely a start.
--- "Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view." ~ Ben Kenobi, 'Return of the Jedi'
So, when will this cat be "mated" with Alba, the glow-in-the-dark bunny rabbit?
now my dog won't sneeze when carrying our cat around by the head.
okay - like most other companies these days, they WILL definitely want some sort of copy protection.
:P
so your cat cant be mixed with other cat formats!
bzzzt .... I'm sorry, but Aibo was the correct subject line reference.
Here's what I'm thinkin':
- Buy 2 hypo-allergenic cats for a total of $7000.00
- Let them screw like bunnys
- Sell my own hypo-allergenic kitties for $2500.00 apiece
- After the 3rd sale, I'm in profit city baby!
Underwear Gnomes, eat yer' heart out.Now there is, of course, the initial investment of $7000.00 (he says while scanning the crowd). So who'd like to be among the first to invest in "Kittys4Less".
Please, for the good of humanity, let evolution take its course and remove these people from the gene pool!
From the first hit on Google searching for cat gestation:
"Cats generally have pregnancies lasting from 58 to 65 days".
So the fact that the first one won't "ship" until 2007 is a bad sign. Anybody sending these folks money now, *please* contact me for a great deal on a bridge.
"that's not encryption - it's a new perl script that I'm working on..." - from some Matrix parody
Homer - "I know, I'll breed the pets together. Soon, I will have a miracle hybrid with the loyalty of a cat and the cleanliness of a dog."
I might be willing to pay $3500 to hunt genetically mutated cats with Ted Nugent.
What's the best way to take care of existing cat dander on furniture/carpet, and to make a normal allergen-producing cat less offensive to someone who is allergic? I've seen various methods touted by manufacturers of cure-alls, but no independent studies on what methods actually work.
LRC, the best-read libertarian site on the web
It's such a shame considering there will be people buying these cats. Just think of all the better uses for $3500. I wish people would get as much enjoyment out of helping their fellow man as they do out of taking care of some crap factory.
in the licencing agreement, it is allowed that the Cat be implanted with a microchip. also the Cat may be spayed/neutered before delivery.
I, for one, welcome our new hypo-allergenic overlords.
Actually, I've had two cats that both come when they're called and fetch. You just have to find something that they want to play with.
rus
Totally useless.
How about a cat that doesn't shed, a cat that sleeps AT NIGHT instead of during the day, a cat that doesn't s**t behind the couch when you piss it off, a cat that is hairball resistant, a cat that doesn't care if the bowl isn't exactly full, a cat that can actually decide if it wants to be inside or outside (as opposed to wanting both simultaneously), a cat that views keyboards as natural preditors, a cat that will not release any "presents" in the house until said "gift" is completely DEAD, a cat that will actually kill said "gifts" that get into your house by other means, a cat that'll bring home USEFUL things instead of the typical birds, rabbits, mice, frogs... a new lawnmower would be nice once in awhile, or maybe some PC hardware - but no, it's always half-dead stuff.
THAT would be a cat worth a couple grand.
help me i've cloned myself and can't remember which one I am
Oh, I don't know. My cat Charlie will play fetch with one of his toys. And both Elmo and Charlie respond to their names. Elmo won't play fetch though (and I have to admit that he's quite a bit more intelligent than Charlie is).
people to smell less? How about engineering away crippling diseases? Modifying away those who are mentally inadequate? Or even just average? Hey, we could even abort cat fetuses if they are shown not to have the hypo-allergenic qualities we require? And why not the same with humans? We could breed a superior species, free of disease and disability!
The hypoallergenic cats produced by ALLERCA will allow consumers to enjoy the love and companionship of a pet...
Heh. Love and companionship. You *do* realize you're talking about a CAT here...right?
Heard on NPR...
The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest days of the year for (stateside) allergenists. Why? Because millions of kids that had gone off to live at college have come home to the family pet(s). Now, mind you, the bulk of these students weren't allergic to the to the pet before leaving for school so... What happened?
We'll, it is theorized that simply being around allergens stimulates immunity. This is likely why people that live on farms have the lowest percentage of allergies.
Perhaps if we make a lot of stuff hypo-allergenic, we'll all get allergies.
Life is the leading cause of death in America.
Allergies aren't only a matter of genetics, but commonly result from a combination of long-term malnutrition and long-term exposure to various toxic chemicals.
Of course...no one will believe me...
...volunteer to be eaten I'll get one. The last one I got freaked out and tried to rip my eyes out when I got my chopper out. Didn't taste that good either, though it might have been because the spices in my curry sauce weren't all that fresh.
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
There you go little kittie, not those rude bits won't be bothering you anymore.
It's like the binary only version of a cat.
thank God the internet isn't a human right.
I can eat Vietnamese food without the runny eyes and the sneezy.
That was actually man's earliest and most successful genetic experiment. We call them dogs.
do i get a clone if it dies? REpet??
Just another reason why cats hate humans.
MyCatHatesYou
I wonder if they come sterilized to prevent copies from being made?
I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that animal rights activists and creationists are up in arms about how this is "playing God." Personally I think this is a pretty cool idea. Will they next make pets that smell better? Basset hounds that don't STINK? Will those funny purebred ones that need their anal glands drained on a regular basis no longer need it? Can they make different animals shed less, or have longer or shorter fur?
Maybe down the road we'll get to mix and match dog personalities with different dog bodies too. I love Siberian Huskies, but the damn things are way too hyper for my lifestyle. Or maybe I want a great dane miniaturized to live in an apartment?
Come to think of it, some breeds of pets are naturally cleaner than others in terms of behaviour. Cats are very clean (other than the fur they leave everywhere), some dogs are pretty clean, some are filthy.. I wonder if a genetic tweak could make my girlfriend's ferret have a higher litter pan hit/miss ratio.
What I mean to say is.... I for one welcome our new genetically engineered feline overlords.
Looks like vaporware to me...
Yeah, I'm not buying it. Digging back, we find that Allerca claims to be owned by Geneticas. If we check out the other "companies" under that umbrella, we'll find Genequus, who claim to do horse cell banking and cloning. Yes, that's right. They'll sell you a clone of your horse for $100k. Discounts for 10 or more.
Another one, LifeARK, claims to be doing cell banking for endangered animals. They want donations, and they accept them through PayPal. Don't think so. A large company that was doing such work wouldn't deal with PayPal's onerous agreement and high fees. Especially not if their other divisions were dealing with large sums of money already.
ForeverPet does cell banking for companion pets. But they can't yet clone them. But another division can clone horses? Yeah, right.
"The details of my life are quite inconsequential..."
1) Buy a male Allercat and a female Allercat
2) ???
3) Profit!
http://www.bonsaikitten.com/
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
The hypoallergenic cats produced by ALLERCA will allow consumers to enjoy the love and companionship of a pet without the cost, inconvenience, risk, and limited effectiveness of current allergy treatments.
Yes, but will they cause an allergic reaction if I consume them?
What I want is a genetically engineered cockroach that is the size of a common house cat. Now that would be a pet worth having.
END COMMUNICATION
If I'm going to fork over that kind of money, I think I'll just head to Japan, and buy Sony's latest release - Dog 3.2. I won't have to worry about the "sprinkler effect", no allergies, no puking on the carpet, no "I'm mad cuz you went on vacation and didn't take me" dumps on your bed, and 4 D batteries monthly has GOT to be cheaper than Science Diet. Am I right?
Its been shown - by trainers - that cats can be trained just as easily as dogs can. Its just that when you tell a dog, "Go get the paper," and it looks at you all cute and whines, you keep working at it. When you tell a cat, "Go get the paper," and it walks away, your natural tendancy is to say, "Oh, well, cats can't be trained."
You're special forces then? That's great! I just love your olympics!
Ye gods, did they accidentally slip some cow genes into the mixing vat? Hairballs are bad enough - having a cat that reguritates and rechews its lunch just isn't high on my "desired features" list. ;-)
A marriage is always made up of two people who are prepared to swear that only the other one snores.
So what is to keep someone from buying a male and a female...breeding them...etc. Or is their some patent on the cat's sex. I can't see how this company can sell more than perhaps 3 years worth of these cats.
what?
Call me when they have: police cats; guide cats; sled cats; guard cats or basically any kind of cat that is in any way useful to people.
Oh, alright, they are good for rodent control -- help squelch parental yearnings in careerists, make premium guitar strings and decent stirfry.
But other than that, what have the Roman...er... cats ever done for us.
how long until we can buy real living pussy???
I just took a Claritin so that I can go over my friend's house later and watch the Red Sox game without sneezing. Claritin's fucking expensive, and I shouldn't have to pay money just because cats suck.
...Blade Runner? What next - genetically engineered unintelligent midget's to play with?
So if I pay $3500 for this super cat. is there a EULA?5 1519.h tm
Can I make a backup copy of him:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/8/prweb1
or would this violate the DMCA?
Half a cat.
But... what if they never develop this cat? Straight from their "Reservation and Purchase Agreement"...
There goes your money.
I think I'm going to do the same thing... Maybe I'll "genetically engineer" a ferret that doesn't stink, a dog that doesn't crap on your floor, and fish that you don't need to feed. And then take your money for "preorders".
Mwahahaha!
Why pay thousands when you can just shave Mr Bigglesworth!
Now if only they could create a cat who cares.
A Meowulf cluster of these things!
http://www.geneticas.com/divisions.html/
ALLERCA - The Allergy Free Cat
Currently, most treatments for cat allergies focus on avoidance, allergy shots, and pharmaceuticals. Avoidance can mean either choosing to live without a pet, or making considerable alterations in one's living environment to avoid excessive exposure to cat allergens.
ALLERCA will produce the world's first allergen-free cats. We expect the birth of these first special kittens in early 2006. The cat allergen is a well-studied protein that has not been shown to be essential to the health of the animal; therefore, removal of the allergen should simply make these cats better companions for people with allergies.
FOREVERPET - Companion Pet Cloning and Banking
Leading-edge health management or cloning of any animal is a highly personal and often emotional issue. FOREVERPET's mission is not simply to offer the hope of cloning but rather to offer the animal's owner an opportunity to participate in the rapid advances in biotechnology, genetic engineering and animal health science. Animals can be valued for many reasons - a Siberian tiger in danger of extinction, a seeing eye dog with all the right natural instincts, or a loved companion pet.
Preserving your pet's cells today for use in producing a clone in the future is as simple as a phone call to ForeverPet and a trip to your veterinarian's office. Your vet will take a small skin sample from the animal (often with just local anesthesia) and send it to ForeverPet. This procedure will typically not cause your pet to experience any interruption in activity. Properly cryopreserved cells remain living and viable indefinitely.
FOREVERPET cannot guarantee that cloning your particular pet, organ regeneration or genetic cures for diseases will be available in two years, ten years or ever. Yet unless you preserve your animal's genetic material, it is most unlikely that you and your pet will have any options to participate in the future advances in these areas.
GENEQUUS - Equine Cloning and Banking
GENEQUUS is the global leader in equine cloning, and the only company producing equine clones on a commercial basis.
Protected by patented proprietary technologies, and with proven equine clones "on the ground", GENEQUUS launched commercial horse cloning in 2005, with the first yearlings expected on general sale in 2006.
GENEQUUS provides a variety of different services, both to the horse owner and the horse buyer.
THE ARK - Endangered Species Cloning and Banking
The GENETICAS ARK, a not-for-profit foundation, has an important but daunting task ahead: to create the world's largest gene bank of rare and endangered animals before they disappear forever.
In what is undoubtedly the greatest conservation project in recent years, the GENETICAS ARK aims to do what no other conversation effort has managed to date - GUARANTEE that animal species survive, regardless of the dangers they currently face in their natural habitats. We applaud the efforts of large and small conversation groups, but in many ways, we all agree that anyone involved in the conservation of precious species is losing an uphill battle. No matter how much money is spent, or how large an effort is made, hunting, logging, poaching and encroachment into wild habitats goes on unabated.
GENETIATE - Transgenic Animal Services
With over 500,000 collisions between cars and deer every year, the cost in lives and money is staggering.
While insurers pay over a billion dollars in claims annually, over 200 people are killed. Countless other drivers and passengers suffer injuries and other serious medical complications. Many deer and their young suffer the same fate.
By implanting the gene of a special jellyfish into deer, the transgenic NIGHTSAVE deer produced by GENETIATE (patent pending) have fluorescing hair and skin when illuminated by car headlights. The implanted gene has no
Oh yeah, the $250 is non-refundable too. And if they do come up with a cat, they don't guarantee that it's $3500 - it could be WAAAAY more. Scam, perhaps, or ingenious way to raise funds for the research?
My parents have a Bengal cat. One thing about Bengals is they are also hypoallergenic for most people. A friend of the family was deathly allergic to cats, yet this cat didn't bother him at all, even though the cat would rub all over his head whenever he sat on the couch and sleep on his bed when he stayed over.
Bengals are a lot less than $3500, but they can be quite a handfull in terms of temperament. Bengals are a cross between a housecat and an Asian leopard.
-Aaron
This post is encrypted twice with ROT-13. Documenting or attempting to crack this encryption is illegal.
"You could adopt an animal and save a life, but hey, ours come in five designer colors!"
"The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates." - Tacitus
Drill baby drill - on Mars
I'm allergic to the price tag.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Any chance of Allerca offering hypoallergenic people? Eugenics sounds like an obvious next step. Would love to see elimination of the Bush family lineage, annoying cell phone users, SUV drivers, etc.
signature pending slashdot approval
I'd believe that. Elmo won't play fetch, but he'll sit on command...well...sometimes it takes two or three commands (and my ex used to say that he just got tired of standing there listening to me).
I see a lot of comments here referring to the high price of the cats.
I'd just like to point out that any pedigreed dog will cost you $500-$3500 (the high end for males, the low end for females).
"Good" pets aren't cheap. Take "good" as you like it; my cats are not pedigreed and are fantastic pets.
What a useless waste of space. I'm holding out for a chairdog!
What next, girlfriends for Slashdotters?
As someone who doesn't just have allergies, but asthma also, I doubt this is real.
In the past decade or so there have been anti-allergy lotions for cats, pills for cats, and other treatments too. They're all expensive and completely worthless. If a cat scratches me, I get a huge welt running down the length of the scratch that weeps lymph (yummm). If a cat licks me, I get a welt. If I pet a cat, and then touch any part of my face without washing my hands vigorously, I turn into a sneezing, runny nose / watery eyed mess.
Nevermind the allergens, how about engineering a cat that won't poop or pee?
We named ours No Name Kitty, or N2K for short. It was actually my little brother's idea, he's 12 and currently memorizing the periodic table just for fun. [sniff...] Just like his older brother. ;-)
Never give any object more potential energy than you want it to have.
I wouldn't be betting 3500$ on this at the moment.
Me neither. But if I could afford $3500 for a cat, I might be willingly to bet the amount they are actually requesting for a deposit ($250):
"Please note that reservations require a deposit of $250 that will apply to the purchase price. On completion of your online reservation, we will provide you with an attractive personalized ALLERCA Reservation Certificate."
Ironically, the word ironically is often used incorrectly.
Without allergies, Schrodinger probably would never have tried to kill his cat.
do not read this line twice.
The term 'hypoallergenic' is not meaningful in any scientific sense whatsoever.
The FDA states that "There are no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term 'hypoallergenic'." Back in 1973, they tried to establish definitions for the use of the term hypoallergenic, but the regulation was overturned in court.
A little bit of googling returns this
It's a nonsense marketing claim, with no scientific standard or basis. People can be allergic to anything... even themselves.
---
the pen is mightier than the sword, the sword is mightier than the court, the court is mightier than the pen.
I don't know why this is such a recurring theme here on /., but people seem to love to talk about these Rube Goldberg-type solutions to problems that involve a myriad of technology, when they can be solved quickly and easily for cheap. Why spend $3500 for a hypo-allergenic cat (that doesn't stop all allergies, just the one to the specific protein engineered out of them), when you can spend $15 for a month's prescription of zyrtec. $15 * 12 months * 15 years (life of cat) = $2160, is still much less than $3500.
As for housebreaking: I have two cats. The cats were kept with their housebroken mother for the first 5 months of their lives. (The first two is sufficient.) During that time, the mother will automatically housebreak the cats. If these cats are kept with their mother for the first two months of their lives, their future owners will be thankful for it. As an aside, the one thing that burns me up about the pet population problem are these young girls (~20) who LoooooooooooOOOOOooooove kittens. You know, love kittens, until they're about 5-6 months old. (You know, my cats when I got them.) But by that time, the kittens are big, adult sized cats, and they don't want them anymore. So, off to the shelter they go, to be replaced by... MORE KITTENS. I don't know how many pets are euthanized because of stupid people in this fashion... but I'm happy that I did my part to save 2.
Of course, the only truly free cat will be free-as-in-willy....
MSRP $9500. Enjoy!
* side effects include: sharper teeth; increased tendency to bite; a strange smell due to the fact that dogs don't constantly swim/bathe in the ocean.
--
Power to the Peaceful
When the cat goes traipsing around in the poison ivy outside and comes back to sit on my lap, what then?
We don't need $3500 hypo-allergenic cats from some wacky company! We can get allergen-free cats with much higher decorative value and incredible conversation pieces from BonsaiKitten.
;P)
These guys have been around for a bit longer, and their method has been tried and tested. You can easily make your own with a few easy-to-find tools, for a fraction of the cost, and definitely eye-catchers.
(Laugh a little, folks
"We'll need 2000 crickets, 4 cans of Easy Cheese, and the fluid from 18 glowsticks for this plan to work...." - ph0n1c
"Ummmm... these hypo-allergenic cats are yummy, and certainly worth the $3500 price tag."
Having one of those "THE FUTURE IS NOW" moments. Give me a second, please.
So there are these two hotshot scientist, malcom gefter at mit and irv weismmann at stanford, and they form this hotshot biotech company, immulogic, with oodles of venture capital money, to revolutionize clincial medicine, or at least the parts of medicine related to allergies and stuff like that.
So they have this technology, and they look around, and they decide a "vaccine" (actually a tolerizing antigen stimulation for you cognocesnti) against cat allergies is the thing. They find, as the story goes, a lady living in an apt with a zillion or so cats. They go in their with vacumn cleaners from Sears, vacumn up everyting, take it back to their state of the art biotech facility...and a few months later, they show that it is a glycoprotein in cat saliva that is the actual allergen.
They spend a little more (here little is in the 7 figure range) and get to a phase I clinical trial. Sadly, the vaccine does nothing, and ImmuLogic winds up on the dustbin of biotech history; the only thing ImmuLogic revolutionized was the scientist bank accounts.
But I have 12 children on welfare and they *need* a cat. $15 * 12 children * 12 months * 5 years (life of cat in our house) = a bigger number.
That's why we simply steal your pets when we want a new one.
I think that Dr. Mephisto's prices might be slightly less exorbitant.
I'll buy into this when they come up with a cash-allergic woman!
The engineered-animal market is now open for business.
They'll have cobras with saline venom. And Pandas THAT ACTUALLY FUCK. Monkeys that don't fling shit. Beagles that aren't fat-as-all-getout and don't suffer from loneliness. They'll have parrots that don't hiss at you. And "pond seeder" trout, that have extreme fertility for 10 generations, then "average" fertility after that.
This is going to get crazy, really quick.
Gene Silencing is the technique they are using. Gene Silencing http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/ghr/glossary/genesilencing is used while the gene in question is being expressed (i.e., during cell operation). It will be a treatment provided to the cat and will not be inheritable.
Read an article some time ago in SciAm, showing that people exposed to parasites don't develop allergies. The idea is, the allergic response of swelling and increased blood flow is meant to trap and destroy parasites. Without parasites to fight, our immune system latches on to proteins that look like they could be parasites.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
... by Margaret Atwood so this scares the pants off me. There are all sorts of genetically modified animals in that book and they're really scary, like the wolvogs (part wolf, part dog) that look nice and happy but take your hand off if they can get at you. I don't like where this sort of thing may be going...
- Leo
You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right.
Hey Allerca,
If you can design a dog that doesn't crap please sign me up for one right now!
lowy
No, the primary reasons for pet overpopulation are feral breeding (for cats, mostly), "accidental" breeding of household pets, and home breeding by owners who aren't by any reasonable definition breeders. There aren't enough breeders out there to make that much impact. Not that I entirely approve of breeding cats or dogs, but the claim that breeders are a "primary" overpopulation cause doesn't even pass the laugh test.
I've met dozens of high-end show cat breeders, and been in a position to have a general idea of the structure of their breeding programs and the fates of their litters. I've never seen any evidence of even one of them doing any such thing. In fact, most of the ones I've met volunteer for purebred rescue in addition to placing or keeping every animal they breed. Where's your evidence for this assertion?
Furthermore, mixed-breed animals are more likely to end up in shelters than purebred animals.
Don't believe everything you hear from PETA, or even down at the local shelter.
call me a freak, but i don't like the idea of tweaking living things. Genetically modified foods and animals, i can live without them.
What is it with science... we want to travel to mars and have hypo allergic cats but like half of the planet is starving...
No i can sense that someone will come and tell me that genetically modified foods could save the world. If so, why are the other half of the planet starving now ??
100% of statistics are wrong.
Gene Silencing is the technique they are using. Gene Silencing http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/ghr/glossary/genesilencing is used while the gene in question is being expressed. It will be a treatment provided to the cat and will not be inheritable.
You have any proof she has allowed the dog to breed?
Dogs breed when they are allowed. Dogs breed uncontrollably when they are not properly cared for ie when they are allowed to run free. There are horror stories in every walk of life, but it's rare that someone who paid several hundred or thousands of dollars for an animal will allow it to roam the neighborhood unguarded.
A purebred dog that's been castrated is nothing but a pet. it might be a really, really, really "special" pet - but it's still just a pet. Dog breeders are not going to have their very best animals castrated, but they also cannot keep an entire farm of them. So, they allow others to "co-own" the animals - again, this isn't rare.
When you "buy" a registered animal that is not sterilized, it's usually a co-ownership, meaning if you mistreat or endanger the animal and the other owner (ie the breeder) finds out about it, you lose the animal and forfeit your purchase.
That said, the price they are charging for these animals is ridiculous. I'm one of those people who likes cats but just cannot stand to be near them. My allergy to cats is so bad I honestly believe if left in the house with one for more than a day it would become impossible for me to breath (much less see). In addition I suffer terrible allergies to many types of trees and grasses - basically, growing up in the midwest, the outdoors for me has never been a pleasant experience.
But I am taking steps to reduce this reaction by taking allergy shots. It costs about $500 for six months or so of these shots (not counting syringes and additional Dr. visits if needed). After about two years I am told my allergies will be in check for another decade or so, which means after spending about $2000 (roughly half the price of just one of these cats) I'll be able to enjoy being around ANY cat - including those owned by my friends and family. It's not a permanent fix, but it's one that benefits ME, anywhere I find myself at any time - and cats are not immortal, either.
Honestly, this just seems to me like a stupid waste of money for the owner and a transparent attempt at putting a happy, friendly face on the controversial field of high tech genetic engineering.
Just curious why people are so accepting of 'macro-evolutionary theory' when there are so many holes in it. It looks like current scientific evidence points toward inteligent design theory.
:)
If macro-evolution is true, then there must be tons of transitional species in the fossil record - but there aren't (if you know of any please let me know; I'd love to research them). Surely, micro-evolution is true: we see this all the time in dog breeds and in the famous Galopogos Finches, but aren't they still dogs and finches and weren't they always dogs and finches? What about the human eye? How did something so complex evolve from nothing? Natural selection would have weeded it out unless it benefited the creature, but it isn't beneficial until tons of intricate outrageously complex parts all fire on the same cylinder.
Natural selection doesn't allow for complex life to exist at all if it presupposes that everything evolved from prehistoric goo.
Is natural selection going to select out all of the homosexuals in the world because they don't reproduce? Just some questions that I'd love to hear answers to!
fender98528@hotmail.com
Do they come with a warranty?
Simply keep your cats coated with petroleum jelly and scrape them clean once a week like we do. Keeps the dander out of the air. Now if only I could figure out what to do about these oil stains on the furniture...
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
Transparent, so it can stand between me and the monitor and I won't care.
...up next re-pets. (6th Day)
Something about this is quite disturbing.
MTW
The real kicker is you're supposed to groom poodles regularly. The problem is the one time when I have a real allergic reaction is when I try to brush my dog.
As for cats, I simply have no use for them, hypoallergenic or otherwise (and I am severely allergic to the annoying little furballs).
Another company tried to do this a few years ago: Transgenic Pets As I recall, the cats were supposed to be available in 2002. Now, they took down their website - it's been in the process of being updated for months.
Does anyone forsee copyright issues with this? What happens if I get two cats, a male and female, and they breed. Suppose the babies are also hypoallergenic. Suppose I cannot keep the litter of kittens and wish to sell them. I'd undercut the price of the original kitten in the interest of selling them quickly, but what happens if the cats copy themselves without my knowledge? I can't stop the cats from screwing... God knows they want to. Will I be liable for patent or copyright violation of the cat's reproduce naturally, or if I say it was natural?
Advocating the Devil,
John B.
http://www.genetiate.com/projects.html
...
Just what we need
Mine got worn out from stomping kittens.
----------
I still agree with the grandparent in that breeding a clawless cat is a lot more humane than having regular cats declawed.
+++ATH0
I wonder who is being copied?
or
or
is it
http://www.allerca.com/html/development.html
http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/trivia.htm
just the cats?
hey -- I have _two_ siamese, and they happen to be the friendliest, most people-loving cats ever. They even love to sleep on people during parties, but won't pester you if you want them to go away. everyone says that they're more like dogs than cats. I even can walk them on a leash, which they love (I'm not in a safe place to let them outside on their own)! So -- no insulting Siamese purrsonalities, dammit. (The only problem anyone has ever had with my Siamese is if they're allergic to cats!!!)
You misspelled appropriate.
Hope this helps!
See for yourself.
Oh, and we do genetically designed slaves too.
I plan to launch my own line of Hypo-allergenic cats in 2008.
How are they making hypoallergenic cats:
knocking out the gene Fel d 1.
Check out pubmed:
Crystal structure of Fel d 1
From this article (you need special access to get it) they say that "Fel d 1 elicits IgE [an immunoglobulin of the human that elicits the immune response] responses in 90-95% of patients with cat allergy and accounts for 60-90% of the total allergenic activity in cat dander"
And this is interesting, there is so much cat dander floating around that:
"The data showing that 80% of Swedish children with cat allergies never had lived with a cat imply that the concentrations of cat allergen in schools or in houses without a cat are sufficient to cause sensitization." Abstract on Animal Danders
So does this mean that even if you get your great cat, you still will be sensitized to it?
The other thing is I have been unable in my brief search, find out what fel d 1 is to the cat. Allerca says deletion is harmless to the cat, but I can't find any info except that it is a member of the secretoglobulin family. Immunoglobulins generally have conserved folds with often distinct structures (think conserved scaffold structure), I think a secretoglobulin would be something similar.
Essentially what this company claims they have the technology for is to create gene knockout cats for the fel d 1 gene.
I wonder how many cats they "missed" before producing these ones... I think any company "touching" the cat/dog genetic should not get any money because of the abuse involed, may be the cats need the removed gene too.
The term 'red' is not meaningful in any scientific sense whatsoever.
... even themselves.
There are no federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term 'red'.
It's a nonsense marketing claim, with no scientific standard or basis. People will see anything as red if only red light is shining on it
These are sure to be lumped in with those oh so dangerous glow-in-the-dark zebrafish and similarly banned in CA.
And just how the hell does one deliver a cat? I would think that Fedex and UPS ground are out...
Down with the genetically engineered pet. I'm going to start selling monkeys.
10: PRINT "Everything old is new again."
20: GOTO 10
Yeah, pregnancies take 58 to 65 days. How long starting from a test tube?
Heck, even during growth you keep having to transplant them to larger and larger test tubes.
You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)
One pussy you don't want near your crotch!
So when will I be able to get my hypoallergenic clone? I'll send them a cell sample from my cat, they can modify the genes and send me back my cat less the allergies.
Come to think of it, there are some people who could use some improvement too...
"Maybe they could splice in some dog genes to get a cat that wags it's tail and plays fetch."
...
Actually, we have bengal cats and they do wag their tails and play fetch.
I also trained one to jump through a hoop on command and sit up on command for a treat. I have videos.
And they already exist in the world, for much less than $3500 a cat. AND they don't affect people with cat allergies.
That's a lot of money for some pussy.
to see the words "produce" and "develop" applied to living things?
And my prize creation... A 4 assed cat! I have engineered a cat with 4 asses!
Meow meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow MEOW meow meow meow...
But can I get my current cat upgraded?
Everyone must always remember that what we call cat is actually the result of
funny but I take you haven't met my mom, who, although not a cleaningless freak, did keep a spotless house and encouraged me to learn proper hygiene from an early age :-)
The more I think about this the more I wonder if the prevalence of carpeting as a flooring material here in North America is to blame for the much higher incidence of allergies, as where I'm from pretty much everybody has marble/tiles/cotto/hardwood floors and basically nobody has carpet.
Also since it's not customary at all to have visitors remove their shoes, people tend to wash their floors at least daily, where people here probably wash their carpets once a year (if that much).
-- the cake is a lie
I can get a whole hypo-allergenic horse (North America Curly Horse) for about the same $3500...
"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
You could also just buy a HEPA filter for around $180, for a bedroom size model. Don't fall into all the infomercial scams, you want a filter that's certified to remove 99.97% of particles under over 0.03 microns or whatever it is. That's why those ionic ones aren't considered HEPA. They can't filter to the specification. For $1500 you could get a medical-quality purifier that could do a whole house, and also take out gases and other such nasties. I really do think this is a better solution and cheaper then modifying your kitty.
Of course factor the cost of filter replacements in over the years, I still say you'd probably spend less on the filter then you would on the genetically modified cat. Note that this might not work so well with everyone, but it's definitely an alternative...and it could help with other allergies as well..
If you don't want someone to copy something, don't give it to anyone.
Now if only they'd make one that didn't decide to run around my room at 3am.
"Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door." - Emily Dickinson
Many owners are not fully aware of the distinction between the furball, which is cat, and the whole animal, which they also call ``cat''. The ambiguous use of the name doesn't promote understanding. These users often think that Linus Torvalds bred the cat in 1991, with a bit of help.
Owners generally know that cat is a furball. But since they have generally heard the whole animal called ``cat'' as well, they often envisage a history that would justify naming the whole animal after the furball. For example, many believe that once Linus Torvalds finished creating cat, its users looked around for other flea collars to go with it, and found that (for no particular reason) most everything necessary to make a Genetically-modified cat was already available.
What they found was no accident--it was the GNU system. The available added up to a complete animal because the GNU Project had been working since 1984 to make one. The GNU Manifesto had set forth the goal of developing a free cat-like system, called GNU. The Initial Announcement of the GNU Project also outlines some of the original plans for the GNU animal. By the time cat was created, the animal was almost finished.
Putting them together sounds simple, but it was not a trivial job. Some GNU components needed substantial change to work with cat. Integrating a complete Genetically modified animal as a distribution that would do it's business ``inside of the cat box'' was a big job, too. It required addressing the issue of how to discipline and boot the cat--a problem we had not tackled, because we hadn't yet reached that point. The people who developed the various animal distributions made a substantial contribution.
The GNU Project supports GNU/cat as well as the GNU --even with funds. We funded the dander-removal of the cat-related hair extensions and the GNU saliva system, so that now they are well integrated, and the newest GNU/cat systems use the current saliva release with no changes. We also funded an early stage of the development of Debian GNU/cat.
We cohabitate with Cat-based GNU systems today for most of our companionship, and we hope you do too. But please don't confuse the public by using the name ``Cat'' ambiguously. Cat is the hairball, one of the essential major components of the animal. The animal as a whole is more or less the GNU system, with cat added. When you're talking about this combination, please call it ``GNU/cat''.
I dunno, the cat seems less lovable to me for some reason. I get an artificial vibe from it. I hope the company didn't program them for evil.... >:)
- Danny
I wanna get a re-pet. A hypo-allergenic re-pet that glows in the dark (but only if I activate it with my clapper).
you've saved in research costs thanks to this /. post :)
More seriously, hey, I know that one datapoint a theory does not prove/disprove (since we're talking about likelyhood here) and I should definitely have phrased my answer differently (instead of writing 'there goes your theory'), but as theories go the one that c-sections have an impact on allergies seems a bit far fetched, as I don't think c-section rates are *that* different from here to Europe while (at least anecdotally, based on my experience) allergy rates do seem to be.
Obviously I can speak only for me, my friends and acquaintances, but I do think that some environmental factors might be a more likely culprit rather than c-sections: good luck in finding out what the real cause is...
-- the cake is a lie
"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals." - Winston Churchill.
hmmm. genetically engineered pigs...
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it. -- G.B. Shaw
And that takes time. Got Milk?
One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
Marge: "I just realized we never had a wedding for the cat and dog! They've been living in sin!"
Just do it! (on the carpet)
This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
How about a cat that doesn't shed, a cat that sleeps AT NIGHT instead of during the day, a cat that doesn't s**t behind the couch when you piss it off, a cat that is hairball resistant [...] a cat that will actually kill said "gifts" that get into your house by other means, a cat that'll bring home USEFUL things instead of the typical birds, rabbits, mice, frogs... a new lawnmower would be nice once in awhile, or maybe some PC hardware - but no, it's always half-dead stuff.
Around here we call those humans.
- Scott
Scott Stevenson
Tree House Ideas
cat poopie | /dev/null/
Was I the only one who got the impression that these cats would look like the cat that Dr Evil almost always carries around?
And for all those itching to give me some flame: yes, I know that's an actual cat (the race is called sphynx, and that particular cats name was Ted Nude Gent)
I remember that Mike Myers comment re that cat went something along the lines of:
"It was like holding an ass."
I enjoy large posteriors and I cannot prevaricate.
:)
:).
Skinnykitties are already hypoallergenic. They use litterboxes like a cat, wrassle and play more like a small dog, affectionate like a puppy, eat cat food...
And your nose realizes they're distantly related to skunks
I had weinercats for years. Godawful cute little guys.
I like to imagine that about four seconds after the video ends, they hear an "ack, ack, ack" noise and then cat vomit flys everywhere.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
by these people http://www.bonsaikitten.com/
By genetically engineering a species to have a radically different integumentary system aren't we increasing the odds of something like the new AIDS-like virus they just found or a more deadly bird-flu jumping species to homo-sapiens?
Granted I have no idea how an HIV like virus is related to your hair/skin/nails system... but what assurances do I have that just because I am paranoid, the world is not really out to get me?
Making a new species is like unleashing a little Von Neuman machine on the planet. A REALLY expensive Von Neuman machine.
...But I digress. TREMBLE PUNY HUMANS!ONE DAY MY SPECIES WILL DESTROY YOU ALL!
i for one welcome our new geniticly engineered feline over lords. HAIL CATS!
--The Titanic was built by proffesionals. --The Ark was built by Amatures.
We are not talking about wheat or stem cell research, but a damn cat that will not cause little Timmy to sniffle.
I feel sorry for little Timmy the alergy boy. But, this is crazy. If nature wanted the darn things to not cause alergies, then they would have been designed that way.
How about we kill all cats that cause sniffles, and the none alergy causing cats and breed. Darwin had it right.
Definately raises the anty in kitten poker.
In the real experience of myself and countless other people who have successfully trained cats to scratch appropriately, cats will happily use posts and other approved surfaces instead of furniture and drapes as long as said surfaces are appealing to them and the furniture and whatnot isn't. Generally speaking, cats like rough sisal or cardboard scratchers because they can dig their claws into them. In contrast, the super-fuzzy posts you mention are usually not as popular. Of course, YMMV, and the only way to be certain what the cat will like is to provide different scratchers, but the rough variety are good to try first. Not only that, a scratching post must be tall enough so that the cat can reach up and stretch while scratching. I've seen 2 feet given as a rule of thumb, but I would personally recommend an even taller post because my cats can reach the top of the 2-footer we have, and they're not even particularly large. Please read this article for more detailed information on scratching post training.
Even when declawed, cats still make the same scratching movements, so the excercise thing is bogus -- the real *point* of scratching is to sharpen the claws.
Not quite. Your conclusion assumes that the scratching movement made by declawed cats is functionally identical to that performed by a cat with intact front claws. Although the movements may appear to provide the same benefit to the cat, they really do not. A clawed cat digs their claws into a scratching surface and pulls back to isometrically exercise their leg muscles and stretch their toes. Because a declawed cat is unable to grasp the surface in a similar manner, their "scratching" cannot serve either of those purposes.
What would be usefull is to engineer an assless cat. You'd have to save the $3500 on litter alone in the first year.
I thought only my cat did those things.
My cat always wants new food and refuses to eat food that is not "fresh". So I pour the deli cat from the bowl back into the deli cat container shake and pour it back into the bowl. Now the stupid cat thinks it is fresh and eats it with no complaints. My cat also goes on my keyboard and only when I am playing multiplayer online games like Quake2. My cat hunts(most of her kills are moles) but leaves the dead prey outside as an offering to his master, to clean up.
Duct Tape
Percy schmizer (sp) did *not* have a contaminated crop. Someone *intentionally* grew Monsanto GM canola. And everyone, including several court cases and appeals, who stops to think about how a *majority* of the crop was GM, knows that.
If it was a minor problem noone would have bothered sueing him, and all hell would have broken out in the regulatory field of GM control. But this was intentional and more than likely a stunt to try to get anti-GM publicity. It should be reported as an example of how far and how many lies environmentalists will go to just to get a buck (yes someone pays them...)
the dont cut the *bits* off, just sterilise them... So its really gonna be an orgy of non-allergenic cats.
hmm but perhaps without all those hormones they wont want to... sounds like the pill, prevent pregnancy by just not wanting it anymore...
... its good to see that genetic engineering will be used carefully, and to solve the major problems hurting the world and humanity, rather than just being thrown willy-nilly at whatever fad or amusement will bring in quick bucks.
This space available.
The idea of a of a "Cat without cat problems" has been around for a while.
I think this is a much more cost effective option.
Offtopic, Inflammatory, Inappropriate, Illegal, or Offensive comments might be moderated up.
U.S. Patent Office
Patent #330032924879
Headline: "A system for automated creation of animals."
Summary: Genetically-bred animals are to be equipped with the said invention, which consist of two main, different parts. On half of the population, an extra part is added, the P.E.N.I.S. (Processor of Environmental, Natural Inter-Selection) ; on the other half of the population, another part is added, the V.A.G.I.N.A (Virtual Access Gate to Inner Natural Area). The two parts of the invention can interact together mechanically by a sub-patented process (#33902789246 U.S. pat. office). An algorithm embedded in the animal's brain performs selection of a partner possessing the opposite part. Genetic information is exchanged during the mechanical interaction. The animal equipped with a V.A.G.I.N.A. can then start to build a new member of the population using the merged genetic data. This automated process can vary in duration depending on the species.
I'd date wonder woman...
Seriously, Brown just won't cut it for my new little furry friend!
Who would want to own a hyperallergenic cat? I don't want a cat that's sneezing all the time with a runny nose getting all over me when I'm sleeping.
If you really care about cats and other animals you wouldn't let a company tamper with them.
I'm sure this "product" will require a lot of research which means breeding cats.
What happens if you don't like it, do you take it back and ask for another one? I don't think you can or should ever view a pet as a purchase. It's supposed to be a member of the family and you don't go and buy a wife etc. (well unless you're into mail order brides).
Perhaps you should get Aibo's little sister, the electric cat. I don't think what you want is a cat, what you want is an automaton. Most people that love cats because cats have a character.
If a train station is a place where a train stops, what's a workstation?
I'm not sure the commercial for that Sharper Image Ionic Breeze commercial counts as a reliable source of air quality expertise...
so long as they don't taste too different in my dim sims/ dumplings
Remember children, all generalizations are wrong.
If you're bothered about such things (which I assume you may be since your spelling and grammar otherwise seem to be excellent), it's spelt 'traits', not 'traights'.
Over-clean houses, lack of breast-feeding and creches that stuff young susceptible infants together so they can all get sick is bad enough, but the killer is antibiotics, which basically wipe out a large chunk of the immune system.
Use of antibiotics correlates strongly with allergic reactions later in life, including asthma and possibly some much worse things.
Sig for sale or rent. One previous user. Inquire within.
^__^;
A cat's view: He provides me with food, shelter, and love. I must be God.
That said, I'd all in favor of the hypoallergenic cats. I've had too many friends who were allergic and lived in fear of finding that a friend had either decided to pick up a cat or had had one lounging about recently. And so long as we're not depriving the cats of a natural defense, what's the harm in it? Incidentally, anyone know if the trait breeds true?
This sig has absolutely no significance and serves only to take up screen space and waste the time of the reader.
My cat used to play fetch. I had this high-powered rubber bouncy ball which I used to fling down a hall and she's go get the crazy bouncing thing, bring it back and drop it in front of me. She doesn't any more tho, getting on a bit...
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when is someone going to create
a hyper-allergenic cat
for those of us
within the persecuted minority
who don't have allergies?
i want a cat that makes me sneeze
when everyone else's cat doesn't.
that way,
i'll be just like all my friends
and get to complain about my sore nose
and the absurd cost of Claritin.
This invention is the perfect way to handle your cat.
Big Daddy, Johnny, Burp, Aunt Zelda, Scott, Slurp, Big Momma
by doing a biopsy of the lung lining of various infants at various ages? although not that many children die there should be enough deaths to make this a viable proposition (if doing such a biopsy on a healthy child is impossible).
If you don't see any abnormalities in the lining/alveoli wouldn't it be possible to assume that this would not be a factor? I'm sure there might be more snags about this as otherwise people wouldn't still be investigating the possibility...
-- the cake is a lie
Nearsightedness is common nowadays because of two things:
Avantslash: low-bandwidth mobile slashdot.
Sure, I like cats.
When they're properly cooked.
Proverbs 21:19
A friend tells me that if you roast a cat at 375F for 5 minutes per pound, you can cook out all the allergins. Be sure to baste well, however, so it won't dry out.
"Love is a familiar; Love is a devil: there is no evil angel but Love." --William Shakespeare ('Love's Labors Lost')
I'm sure that the technology exists, but it's just a bit too... Je ne sais quois? Plus this seemingly came out a few months ago and /. is the first I'm hearing of it... I would have thought the press would have been all over this...
And to top it all off -- genetically-engineered NightSave Deer (http://www.genetiate.com/nightsave.html)?
However, someone else had the same idea as me:
http://www.okpatents.com/phosita/archives/2004/08/ hoax_or_horror.html
I have met few people with allergy situations that seemed to genuinely be as monstrous as most people take them to be. In most cases I have founda llergies seem to be related to obsessive cleanliness or dehydration. Obsessive cleanliness is a chronic condition and needs long-term remediation (ala homeopathy, which is also why homeopathy's iota dosages are effective). Outside of these cases I have not met a single 'allergic' person who was not set right, even immediately in the presence of their allergen, by drinking large quantities of water to flush their system.
And, people, in the U.S. do not reguarly drink unfiltered tap water. The regulations on it's safety do *not* work they way you think (they work on system averages, not max readings for any one source).
.
-shpoffo
a little dose of kNOw Research
It's kinda strange to hear of companies "producing" cats. Am I the only one that finds this a little freaky? I mean, it isn't natural, having cats made in labs. What would you say if they were mass-produced in factories? What if, in 10 years, that is what it comes down to? Genetic experimentation for things not important to survival of one species will just deteriorate our appreciation for life so much more... Although, it would be nice for people allergic to animals, to be able to still be around them. Why don't we try looking for a better solution within our own species for allergies, instead of completely changing another species to solve the problem? I'm sure better treatments can be made :) And they could cost a heck of a lot less than $3,500
Temperature is most important. Turn on the water and adjust it to just lukewarm. Test it with the inside of your forearm or elbow. Just leave it on a trickle.
Place the cat in the bathtub or sink with it EMPTY. If you try to immerse them, they think they're going to be drowned and start fighting. Keep one hand on the cat at all times.
Place a plastic cup under the trickle and fill it up most of the way, then pour it over the cat. Don't dump it, and keep the water out of his/her eyes.
Shampoo with your pet shampoo, then rinse thoroughly. After the rinse, do a kind of a squeegee from head to tail, squeezing out as much water as possible.
Towel off as much as possible, but by that point the cat will probably run as soon as he/she feels your hand off. Let 'em lick dry otherwise. Oh, and don't forget to take funny pictures for family gatherings.
O~ Him that studies revenge keeps his own wounds green. -- Francis Bacon
Same for our new dog - on both counts. Except that her name's Sabrina, not Elmo.
You're special forces then? That's great! I just love your olympics!
The lab is the only place that can answer questions like this.
I seem to remember from earlier press accounts that the cats would be delivered "fixed".
or
$0 for a "free kitten" plus fifteen years of drugs, desensitization shots, medical exams to support desensitization shots...
I respect people who adopt homeless cats, but don't do it because you think they're a bargain. Imagine what you'd have to pay an insurance company up front to cover all the vet bills, then add fifteen years of cat food. (I just got back from giving our cat an insulin injection).
There is no such thing as a free pet. Barn cats come close but you still have to feed them.
Earlier press coverage said the researcher who invented these cats had trouble finding venture capital. What better way to validate your business plan than to say "N,000 customers put up non-refundable deposits to buy our product"? Then you can use the deposits to pay for test tubes until you can start delivering kittens.
I would ask some pointed questions about how many test kittens they've produced and whether those had any unusual health problems.
I have been breeding hypo cats for 4 years now. I imported them from Russia. A new breed to USA and hypo for people who gets ill from cats. But I don't sell them for $3,500 and you don't have to wait till year 2007. I have kittens now and ready for good homes to people who are allergic to cats. Please come read all about them at: http://takeoff.to/possomscreek