rare cat breeds

Singapura Breed Profile

The Singapura may look like a small, dainty cat – but don’t let that fool you. Appearances can be deceptive. Singapuras are little live wires and full of fun. They thrive in a busy home and love to join in with whatever is going on. The distinctive look of the breed is thanks to a combination of genes that gives a light sepia-brown colour and ticked fur, where each hair is banded with rings of colour, creating an affect not unlike the coat of a squirrel or rabbit.

There is much dispute about the Singapura’s origins and the breed founder, Mrs Tommy Meadow, changed her story about how the breed came to be when evidence was presented to contradict it. Originally she had claimed to have found three cats, a brother and sister called Ticle and Tess, and a third similar cat called Pusse, while she was living in Singapore in 1975 and taken them back to America. When documents surfaced showing that she had imported three Abyssinian cats called Ticle, Tess and Pusse, along with some Burmese cats, from the USA to Singapore when she moved there in 1974 she admitted that her original story was not true. She then claimed that her husband Hal, who was working in Singapore in 1971, sent three Singapore street cats to her in the USA during that year. Hal thought that Tommy might like the cats because of their similarity to the Burmese and Abyssinians she bred, as they seemed to combine the features of both. She claimed that these cats were the grandparents of Ticle, Tess and Pusse and that their description on the import documents as Abyssinians was incorrect. However, there were never any records of the three original cats being sent to America, Meadow never told anyone what the names were of the supposed original three or their offspring, who would have been the parents of Ticle, Tess and Pusse. No photos of these supposed first two generations of the Singapura breed were ever taken and Meadow also claimed that she had no veterinary records for them and couldn’t remember the name of the vet whose care they were under to obtain any proof of their existence.

It was widely believed that the truth was that the breed had in fact originated with matings between Burmese and Abyssinians. A number of matings did take place between early Singapuras and Burmese, ostensibly to test mate Singapuras to find out which of them were carriers of the non-agouti gene. The official version of events was that none of the offspring were used in the Singapura breeding programme, but it is believed by many that some of these were absorbed into the Singapura gene pool to provide some new blood and revive the breed when a number of young kittens died at the beginning of the 1980s.

In 2007 a study of the genetic diversity of the domestic cat was published by Lipinski and colleagues which finally shed some light on the true origins of the Singapura breed. It demonstrated that the Singapura is almost genetically identical to the Burmese breed and has far less in common with the Singapore street cat. The study also concluded that the Singapura is the most inbred of all cat breeds and recommended that breeders take action to address this.

Regardless of the breed’s origins, the history of its subsequent development is well documented. Tommy decided to develop the cats she had into a pedigree breed. She had two kittens from Ticle and Pusse that she called Gladys and George. Ticle was then neutered and George took over as the stud cat.

Tommy was then back in the States and was joined by other breeders who saw the potential in these beautiful cats. Numbers grew slowly initially, but the breed steadily gained in popularity. There were worries about the small gene pool so in 1980 a female cat named Chiko was imported by Sheila Bowers from Singapore to give a new blood line. She did indeed look like a Singapura, albeit with a short bobtail, and had the correct sepia ticked coat. In 1987 Jerry Mayes also imported some cats from Singapore, two of which were incorporated into the breeding programme.

Singapuras were given official breed recognition in America in 1976 by TICA (The International Cat Association) and achieved full championship status in 1979. In the UK, after much dedication from Singapura owners and the Singapura Cat Club, the breed was promoted to championship status in 2005.

Singapuras are small to medium cats with a muscular and athletic build. Their large, green eyes are instantly alluring. The short coat is fine, silky and close-lying with a warm ivory colour ticked with sepia-coloured bands on top – the colour of squid ink! Each hair can have two or three bands of colour along its shaft. The effect is of a refined and delicate colouring. A good show-quality Singapura will also have barring or small stripes on the inside of their forelegs and on their back knees. The tips of their slender tails are dark, with the colour extending along the upper side of the tail. The features of the Singapura look painted with dark outlines around the eyes extending into ‘Cheetah lines’ down the face and around the salmon coloured nose. The rounded head with its short, broad muzzle is topped with large, deeply cupped ears, complementing the inquisitive expression.

Singapuras have character by the bucket load! Eternal kittens, Singapuras love to play even when they are mature, and will often surprise people with an excited spurt of energy. They are easy-going cats when it comes to other animals and prefer to have furry friends to socialise with. They are very inquisitive and love to be a part of everything that’s happening.

Singapuras should b kept as indoor cats or only given secure outdoor access in a cat run. They are easy-care cats needing very little in the way of grooming to keep their close-lying coats glossy. Hand grooming, or a rubber brush, is ideal. A chamois leather can also be used to polish the coat, making it gleam. Many owners also choose to trim the ends of their cats’ nails every couple of weeks.

The Singapura is one of the rarest breeds in the world with only small numbers of kittens being registered in each registry. Prospective owners may have to go on a waiting list or travel long distances in order to get a kitten, but they are well worth the wait!