The Singapore cat is a very small breed, but strong and muscular. The first thing that catches your eye when you see a singapura is its big outlined eyes and its characteristic sepia-colored fur. It is an oriental cat breed but much less meowing and more calm, intelligent and affectionate than other related breeds.
They had probably been living on the streets of Singapore, specifically in sewers, for many years, being ignored by its inhabitants. It was in the last decades of the 20th century when American breeders became interested in these cats to the point of starting a breeding program that ended with the beautiful breed we know today, accepted by most cat breed associations. of the world. Read on to learn more about the Singapore cat, its characteristics, personality, care and he alth problems.
Origin of the Singapore cat
The Singapore cat comes from Singapore Specifically, "singapura" is the Malay term for Singapore and means"city of lions" It was first discovered in 1970 by Hal and Tommy Meadow, two American breeders of Siamese and Burmese cats. They imported some of these cats into the US and the following year Hal came back for more. In 1975 they started a breeding program that had the advice of British geneticists. In 1987, breeder Gerry Mayes traveled to Singapore to look for other Singaporean cats that he brought to the United States to register them with the TICA. The CFA registered 1982 specimens of cats of the Singapore breed, being admitted to championships in 1988. It arrived in Europe at the end of the 1980s, specifically in Great Britain, but it did not achieve much success on this continent. In 2014 it was recognized by the FIFE (Feline International Federation).
These cats are said to have lived in cramped pipes in Singapore to ward off the summer heat and to get away from the low esteem of nature. people of that country towards cats. For this reason, they received the name "drain cats". Due to this last reason, its age is not known with certainty, but it is believed that at least are about 300 years old and most likely appeared as a result of crosses between Abyssinian and Burmese cats. It is known from DNA tests that it is genetically very similar to the Burmese cat.
Characteristics of the Singapore cat
What stands out most about Singapore cats is their small size, as it is considered the smallest cat breed in existence. In this breed, males and females do not weigh more than 3 or 4 kg, reaching adult size between 15 and 24 months of age. Despite their small size, they have good muscles and a slim but athletic and strong body. This gives you good jumping skills
Its head is round, with a short snout, salmon-colored nose, fairly large oval eyes green, copper or gold and outlined by a black line. The ears are large and pointed with a wide base. The tail is medium, fine and thin, the extremities are well muscled and the feet are round and small.
Singapore Cat Colors
The officially recognized coat color is sepia agouti, while it appears to be a single color, individual hairs alternate between light and dark color, which is known as partial albinism and causes acromelanism or dark coloration in the regions of lower temperature of the body (face, ears, legs and tail). When kittens are born they are much lighter and it is not until they are 3 years old that their silky fur is considered fully developed and with its final color.
Singapore cat character
The Singapore cat is characterized by being a cat intelligent, curious, calm and very affectionate He likes to be with his caretaker, so that will seek warmth by climbing on him or by his side and will accompany him around the house. He loves heights and jumping, so he will look for high places with good views. They are not very active but they are not too calm either, as they love to play and browse. Unlike other cats of oriental origin, Singapore cats have a much softer meow and less frequent.
In the face of new additions or strangers at home they can be somewhat reserved, but with sensitivity and patience they will open up and be affectionate with new ones as well. It is an ideal breed for companionship and generally gets along well with children and other cats.
They are affectionate but at the same time more independent than other breeds and They will need time alone It is a suitable breed, therefore, for people who they work away from home, but when they return they must be stimulated and played with to show the affection that they will undoubtedly provide.
Singapore cat care
A great advantage that this cat has for many caregivers is that it has short hair and hardly sheds, needing no more than one or two brushing sessions a week.
The diet must be complete and of good quality to cover all the necessary nutrients and with a high percentage of protein. Keep in mind that they are small cats and, therefore, they will need to eat less than a cat of a larger breed, but always adjusted to their age, physiological state and he alth.
Although they are not very dependent cats, they do require you to spend a little time with them every day, they love games and it is very important that they stay exercisedfor the proper development of their muscles and for them to remain he althy and strong. To give you some ideas, you can read this other article on Exercises for domestic cats.
Singapore cat he alth
Among the diseases that can specifically affect this breed are:
- Pyruvate kinase deficiency: an inherited disease involving the PKLR gene, which can affect Singaporeans and other breeds, such as the Abyssinian, Bengali, Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian, among others. Pyruvate kinase is an enzyme involved in the metabolism of sugars in red blood cells. If there is a deficiency of this enzyme, the red blood cells die, causing anemia with associated symptoms: tachycardia, tachypnea, pale mucous membranes and weakness. Depending on the evolution and severity of the disease, the life expectancy of these cats varies between 1 and 10 years.
- Progressive retinal atrophy: recessive hereditary disease involving a mutation of the CEP290 gene and consisting of progressive vision loss with photoreceptor degeneration and blindness at 3-5 years of age. Singaporean cats are more predisposed, as are Somali, Ocicat, Abyssinian, Munchklin, Siamese and Tonkinese, among others.
Otherwise, it can be affected by the same infectious, parasitic or organic diseases as other cats. Their life expectancy is up to 15 years For all these reasons, we recommend a routine visit to the veterinarian for vaccination and deworming and check-ups, especially monitoring the kidneys and whenever any symptom or behavioral alteration is noticed, in order to diagnose and treat any process as soon as possible.
Where to adopt a cat Singapore
If with what you have read you have thought that this is your race, the first thing is to go to protectors, shelters, associations and ask about the availability of a singapura cat. Although it's rare, especially in places other than Singapore or the United States, you may as well get lucky or get told about someone who may know more.
Another option is to check if there is an association in your area that specializes in the rescue and subsequent adoption of this breed of cats. You also have the possibility of adopting a cat online. Through the Internet, you can consult the cats that other shelters in your country have for adoption, so the chances of finding the kitten you are looking for increase greatly.
