COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Copy Cat, the first cloned cat, recently gave birth to three kittens, the normal way — after mating with a male tabby named Smokey.

Copy Cat, born Dec. 22, 2001, became the first cloned cat — a feat accomplished by Texas A&M University researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. She has lived with Duane Kraemer, DVM, the veterinary medicine professor who helped to clone her, in nearby Bryan.

The three kittens were born almost exactly 3 months ago and are now facing their public debut following health tests and routine vaccinations. Two resemble Copy Cat, while the third shares its dad's coloring (dad is not shown in the pictures).

Texas A&M claims to have cloned more species than any institution in the world. Since 1999, researchers have cloned cattle, swine, goats, horses, a deer, and a cat.