Singapura Breed Profile

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Singapura Breed Profile

Written by Neil

Tuesday, 13 January 2009

Origins

The original home of the Singapura is the island of Singapore, with the breed taking its name from the local Malay name for the island - meaning "Lion City". The breed is the result of mother nature's combination of genes indigenous to South East Asia. The first Singapura cats to appear were imported into America from Singapore by Hal and Tommy Meadow in the mid-seventies, having been found and adopted in the Loyang area by a geophysical work boat crew. Here in the UK the Singapura was first imported from the USA in 1988 by Carole Thompson of Gloucestershire.

World Wide Development

The breed in America is recognised by all registering bodies including the CFA, with a large number having achieved top show honours. Singapuras are also being bred in Australia, Canada, several European countries, Russia, South Africa, South America, and Japan. An international network of breeders has been formed and the group is wholly dedicated to the uniform worldwide development and preservation of the uniqueness, beauty and healthy vigour of the Singapura cat. Here in the UK our objectives are to maintain the integrity of the Singapura breed through selective breeding only within the breed, keeping the physical appearance and only one colour of cat that are recognised by the GCCF and TICA.

Temperament

The Singapura stature makes them gentle cats, but they are also playful, and remain so throughout their lives, even the older cats enjoying a wild game. They are mischievous, and inquisitive, meaning that they will investigate anything thoroughly - especially when they shouldn't - but that is part of their charm.

Singapura Breed Standard

General

The Singapura is an alert, healthy, medium sized cat of foreign type, with noticeably large eyes and ears. Cat to have the illusion of refined delicate colouring.

Head

Skull rounded with rounded width at outer eye narrowing to a definite whisker break and a medium short, broad muzzle with a blunt nose. (In profile, a rounded skull with a slight stop just below eye level.) Straight line nose to chin, chin well developed.

Ears

Large, wide open at base, deep cupped. Outer line of the ears extends upwards to an angle slightly wide of parallel.

Eyes

Large, set not less than an eye width apart, held wide open, but showing slant when closed or partially closed. A dark outline to the eyes is desirable. Eye colour hazel, green or yellow only. Brilliance preferred.

Body

Of medium overall length and size. Moderate build, lithe and muscular. Mid section not tucked but firm. Allowance should be made for more slender body shape in adolescent cats.

Legs & Paws

Legs muscled at the body, tapering to small oval feet.

Tail

Length short of the shoulder when laid along the body. Slender but not whippy. Blunt tip. Free from any abnormality of the bone structure.

Coat

Short, fine, silky and close lying. Allowance for longer coat in kittens.

Colour & Markings

Body colour to be an old or golden ivory with a soft warm effect, ticked with sepia brown. Each hair to have at least two bands of sepia ticking separated by light bands. Light next to skin and dark tip. Muzzle, chest, stomach and inner legs to be an unticked light ivory colour. Cat to show some barring on inner front legs and back knees only; barring on the outer front leg is a fault, but may be overlooked if the animal is otherwise an excellent cat. Dark tail tip with colour extending towards body on upper side. Spine line acceptable. Occasionally a faint yellow toned necklace may appear and this is allowable, providing it is not complete. Nose bridge and back of the ears of a mature cat may show salmon or deeper warm tones, along with the back of the legs where the ticking meets light ivory of the inner leg. Allowance to be made for undeveloped ticking in kittens and slow development of body colour in adolescents. Nose mid to dark salmon coloured. There must be evidence of dark pigment outline on the nose. "Cheetah" lines from the inner corner of the eye towards just behind the whisker pad should be present. Paw pads brown. Brown spurs on lower back of hind legs.