I get missing a pet dearly. I don't get how the clone fixes anything. Replacing them with a clone that has no memories seems like declaring the memories and history mean nothing, and that to me is a strange betrayal of the lost relationship.

Grief is hard, but going back is impossible.

The cloned cat may still have the opportunity to interact with the original, so it could just be taken in as a "child" kitten of the cloned cat.

The project is mostly to prove viability as I've seen focus on dogs and horses.

There is a great documentary on a scientist who is cloning Saudi Arabian horses.