The market for cloned cats ain't what it used to be. In fact, it never was.

Genetic Savings & Clone Inc. has told its customers that its going to close because buyers don't want cloned cats. It has only made two sales since 2000, the year it went into business, although it actually cloned five felines.

The California biotech company says it is no longer accepting orders because it hasn't been able to develop the technology to make cloning pets a viable business.

Even a price cut, to $32,000 US from $50,000 US, hadn't sparked a rush to have little Fluffy cloned.

"Genetic Savings & Clone enriches the lives of pet lovers through superior cloning technologies. Cat cloning available today; dog cloning under development," the company's website says.

But the firm will close at the end of the year, the Associated Press has reported: A message on its answering machine says it is no longer taking orders.

Little Nicky cost $50,000

The first commercially cloned cat was named Little Nicky and was bought for $50,000 US by a Texas woman known only as Julie.

She had preserved the DNA of her old cat before it died at 17. Little Nicky was the result.

"He is identical. His personality is the same," she told the Associated Press in 2004.

But scientists said environmental and other biological variables make it impossible to create duplicate animals. Little Nicky had a different coat from its predecessor.

Genetic Savings & Clone was launched by billionaire John Sperling, who wanted a dog cloned. That never happened, but Little Nicky set off an ethical and scientific debate over the procedure.

Animal-rights advocates said there was no need for cloned pets when there are so many strays that need homes. They also said most cloning attempts fail, often producing animals that suffer chronic pain due to their abnormalities.

"It's no surprise the demand for cloned pets is basically nonexistent, and we're very pleased that Genetics Savings & Clone's attempt to run a cloning pet store was a spectacular flop," said Wayne Pacelle of the U.S. Humane Society.

With files from the Associated Press