Scientists have genetically modified three cloned kittens so they appear fluorescent under ultraviolet light, a procedure which could help develop treatments for human genetic diseases.

The Gyeongsang National University (South Korea) scientists cloned the cats after manipulating a gene to change their skin color.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Science and Technology said: “The ability to produce cloned cats with the manipulated genes is significant as it could be used for developing treatments for genetic diseases and for reproducing model animals suffering from the same diseases as humans.”