http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/screwing-with-nature/glow+in+the+dark-cats-could-make-for-a-unique-home-lighting-solution-333252.php

Although if it is real, these things would make kickass pets. How sick would it be to have a cat that glows in the dark. Seriously though to all you science geeks, is this possible or a joke?

They've done it with rats (http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/060828_surrogate_rats.html), so it's definitely possible.

It is real. They use a gene found in some types of jellyfish to produce transgenic animals. That gene codes for a florescent protein.

It is real. They use a gene found in some types of jellyfish to produce transgenic animals. That gene codes for a florescent protein.

Yes this is true in fact you can do it with bacteria and mice.

Great!! now old lonley ladies everywhere can afford thier electric bill without any extra cost!!

I'm not a biologist, so I've gotta ask: how long do they glow after they die?

ROFLMAO

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/glow-in-the-dark-cats.jpg

We need the retrovirus engineered to do this to DNA put in tranq darts so we can shoot pesky ninjas with it. If they get away, we can hunt them down easier in the dark.

In all seriousness, though, would a glowing kitty impress the ladies? If I glowed in the dark would chicks dig it? I can't wait until gene splicing gives me lizard regeneration and claws, and low light eyes, and uh, a horse cock and eel electrocytes and uh...

Ok, I just cheesed myself out.

Well they only glow when exposed to ultra-violet light, so it is not like they have luminesence or anything.

Secondly, unlike the picture they only glow red.
Here is a link to the CNN video on it.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2007/12/14/stout.skorea.glowing.cats.ytn?iref=videosearch

Maybe I'm being to PETA-like in this question but how will this affect the health of the cats and other animals who've been, um, "engineered" this way?

Maybe I'm being to PETA-like in this question but how will this affect the health of the cats and other animals who've been, um, "engineered" this way?

I don't think this will be an issue because the other experiments will most likely kill them.

Maybe I'm being to PETA-like in this question but how will this affect the health of the cats and other animals who've been, um, "engineered" this way?

Well they are clones. Clones currently only have half the life-expectancy of the genetic donor. With cats this is highly variable, the longest lived cat on record was 57 years, outdoor cats typically live 5-10yrs, indoor cats, at least 20. Other affects, its probably still to early to tell.

I'm not a biologist, so I've gotta ask: how long do they glow after they die?
not long enough

That's what she said! OH!

Glowing cats. Nice.

Maybe I'm being to PETA-like in this question but how will this affect the health of the cats and other animals who've been, um, "engineered" this way?

It depends on the place of insertion of the fluorescent protein DNA: if it is inserted in a oncosuppressor or in another "important" protein it is expectable that the cats will develop some kind of disease. Didn't read about the technique used, tough: if they use a recombinase (a way to ensure specific insertion in the cat DNA) the cats will probably be fine.