The Singapura Cat

By Omer Ashraf

A shorthair feline, Singapura is said to have originated from Singapore. It is thought to have lived there for many years with locals reporting their sightings to go back as far as three centuries. However, it is not the commonest cat in the alleys of Singapore, and is often referred to as the drain or river cat owing to its habit of staying around water bodies in summer months. The cat was imported to United States in nineteen seventies and given championship status in early eighties. There is some controversy regarding the origin of Singapura with some arguing that it is not a natural cat and was artificially bred from Burmese and other cats, particularly with the recent emergence of reports that the genetic makeup of Singapura and Burmese is in fact quite similar. Nevertheless the felid is still recognized as a unique registered breed in most cat fancies across the world.

A relatively tiny animal, Singapura is a small but muscular cat. Both genders weigh in the range of five to seven pounds. General appearance is that of a dainty and somewhat unique feline. Coat is short and in a ticked tabby pattern. Only a sepia brown coloration is seen that is quite similar to the coat of mountain lions. Head is rounded with big expressive eyes that occur in green, yellow or hazed color. Paws are small and tail is normal in length.

Singapuras have all emerged from only a handful of ancestors and therefore they don't have a lot of genetic diversity amongst them. There have been few hereditary illnesses in some of their lines. Since outcrossing is not commonly practiced for these cats, breeders are trying to locate specimens in other parts of the world for induction into the gene pool to add variety.

Singapuras are affectionate cats that spend most of their time playing or staying perched on high places, surveying everything. They follow their humans around everywhere and prefer to be involved in all of their activities. Singapuras are social cats that go along well with everybody, including children, pets and even strangers. They are very gentle and communicate in a soft meow. Sensible animals they don't damage furniture or household items despite their curious and playful nature. Singapuras take time to mature and often it is around two years before they bloom fully into bundles of love and beauty.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Singapura cat.