Can I Clone My Cat From A Frozen Sample?

Can I Clone My Cat From A Frozen Sample?

Losing a beloved cat is devastating and many owners wish to preserve a part of their companion’s legacy, in the hopes of future pet cloning. At Gemini Genetics, our genetic preservation services start with a small skin sample. We are often asked this question: Can I Clone My Cat From A Frozen Sample?

The Science Behind Freezing Skin Samples

The cloning process relies on living, healthy cells present in skin tissue – specifically, fibroblast cells. When a sample is frozen prior to submission, the water inside the cells forms ice crystals, which rupture cell membranes and damage the delicate structures located inside the cells. This damage means that the DNA nestled inside the skin cells may no longer be viable for pet genetic preservation and subsequent pet cloning. Generally, when kept chilled, samples have a 96% chance of being viable and suitable for cloning. In contrast, when a sample is frozen before processing, the chances of the sample being viable go down to about 50%. In short, cloning your cat from a frozen sample is not impossible, but not ideal! For the best possible odds of being able to preserve the DNA of your beloved cat, you should keep their body and their samples chilled and not frozen.

What Is The Correct Way To Ship A Sample?

Keep It Chilled, Not Frozen

Both your cat’s body prior to a sample being taken, and then the sample themselves, should be kept chilled and not frozen. Ideally, in a fridge with temperatures of around +3 to +8 degrees.

Act Fast

Samples should be taken by a veterinary professional and arrive to our laboratory within 5 days of your cat passing away. For live samples, they should arrive to us within 5 days of the samples being taken for optimal results. For more sample taking instructions, please consult the Emergency Sample Taking Instructions tab on our website.

Proper Packing

When shipping or delivering samples to our laboratory, they should be safely packed in an insulated chill bag with some pre-cooled ice packs. Ideally, the ice packs should be wrapped in cotton wool or a dish towel in order to prevent them from freezing the samples. You can find out more about sample packing instructions on our Youtube channel.

If sending internationally, specific instructions will need to be followed regarding sample packaging and documents required. Please contact us for further assistance.

Need Support or Advice?

At Gemini Genetics, we understand how important your cat is to you. If you are considering preserving their genetics or have any questions about the process, you can reach out to our friendly team who will be able to help you!

Please contact us here to speak to a specialist for further assistance.

Email: info@geminigenetics.com / Tel: 01948 668 057 / 07710 778 016