📅This fact may be outdated
Little Nicky was indeed cloned for $50,000 in 2004, making him the first commercially cloned cat. However, the fact uses present tense ('is') which implies current status. While Little Nicky held this distinction at the time, he is no longer the 'costliest cat ever' - Ashera cats now sell for up to $125,000, and individual cats like Cato ($42,000 in 1998) and other high-end breeds have commanded similar or higher prices. The fact is historically accurate but outdated in its claim of being 'the costliest ever.'
The costliest cat ever is named Little Nicky, who cost his owner $50,000. He is a clone of an older cat.
Little Nicky: The $50,000 Cloned Cat That Made History
In 2004, a Texas woman named Julie did something that sounds like science fiction: she paid $50,000 to bring her dead cat back to life. Well, sort of. Little Nicky became the world's first commercially cloned cat, born on October 17, 2004, using DNA from Julie's 19-year-old Maine Coon named Nicky who had died the previous year.
The company behind this genetic resurrection, Genetic Savings and Clone, called their service the "Nine Lives Extravaganza"—because apparently when you're charging the price of a luxury car for a kitten, you need dramatic branding. Julie reportedly got what she paid for: Little Nicky shared his predecessor's distinctive markings, behaviors, and personality quirks.
The Clone That Killed an Industry
Here's the plot twist: Little Nicky helped kill the very industry that created him. Genetic Savings and Clone managed to produce five cloned cats total, but only sold two to paying customers. The company shut down at the end of 2006 due to catastrophically low demand. Turns out most pet owners aren't willing to take out a second mortgage for a genetic copy of Fluffy.
The venture sparked fierce backlash from animal welfare groups. The Humane Society and others pointed out that $50,000 could:
- Save hundreds of shelter animals from euthanasia
- Fund spay/neuter programs across entire communities
- Provide medical care for countless pets in need
Critics also noted that clones aren't true "resurrections"—they're genetic twins born at different times, shaped by different experiences. Same DNA, different cat.
Not Even Close to the Costliest
While Little Nicky's price tag was shocking in 2004, he's been far surpassed in the expensive cat Olympics. Ashera cats now sell for up to $125,000, and they're produced the old-fashioned way (well, through selective breeding of exotic hybrids). Back in 1998, a Bengal cat named Cato sold for $42,000—without any cloning required.
The real legacy of Little Nicky isn't the price or the science—it's the ethical questions he raised. Is cloning a pet an act of love or an expensive exercise in denial? Can you really bring back what you've lost, or are you just creating a living reminder of absence? Twenty years later, pet cloning is still possible (companies like ViaGen Pets will clone your dog or cat), but it remains a niche service for the wealthy and grief-stricken.
Little Nicky proved that just because we can clone our pets doesn't mean we should—or that most people even want to.