Breed profile Singapura Cat

Dr David Richardson August 2005

History of the Singapura Cat

The Singapura is a relatively new breed developed from the small common cat found on the streets of Singapore, but then taken back to California and developed by interbreeding with Abyssinians and Burmese.  It was first recognised as a breed in 1975.

Description of the Singapura. 

The Singapura is a small to medium ticked cat of foreign body type with prominent large eyes and ears, a distinct small head with rounded contours and a seal sepia coat; this is the only colour allowed.

The Singapura has a rounded skull with a modified short wedge, a short broad muzzle and a definite whisker break.  It has a well-developed rounded chin and males may have jowls.  In profile short curved rise to the nose between the eyes was slight indentation below eye level but not a break is desirable.  The nose is described as blunt and the neck should be short and thick.  Eyes should be large and almond shaped and neither protruding nor recessed, set wide apart and at a slight slant.  All eye colours except for blue are allowed; brilliant eye colours are preferred.  Ears should be large, wide open at the base and slightly pointed with a deep cup; the ear set is medium to broad. The outline of the ear should be slightly flared.

The body is foreign in type, medium to small and moderately stocky and muscular; it should be solid to the feel and neither cobby nor rangy.  The midsection should not be tucked & should be firm.  The legs and the body should form a square when the cat is standing.  The Singapura’s paws are small short and oval in shape.  The tail should be slender, of medium length and in proportion to the body; it should have a blunt tip and not be whippy.

The Singapura’s coat should be very short and close lying.  A woolly under coat is undesirable. Some allowance should be made from longer coats in kittens.

Coat colour is very important in the Singapura.  It should be sepia only; colour to be dark brown ticking on the old ivory ground colour.  Each hair is to have at least two bands of dark ticking separated by light bands.  The ivory ground colour must be next skin and the tips of the hairs should be dark.  The tail tip should be dark with colour extending back towards body on the upside.  A spine line is allowed.  Muzzle, chin, chest and the underside of the cat are to be the colour of unbleached muslin.  The Singapura cat should show some barring on front legs and back knees only.  The hair between the toes is to be dark brown.  Paw pads are to be Rosy Brown.  Kittens may have undeveloped ticking.

The facial markings of the Singapura are similar to the Abyssinian.  There should be a dark line extending from and outside corner of the eyes, dark lines extending downward alongside the nose bridge from the corner of the eyes these are called Cheetah lines.  Cheekbone shading is desirable & eyeliner, lips, whisker apertures and nose liner are to be dark brown.  The Singapura should have a pale to dark salmon coloured nose leather.

What I'm looking for when judging the Singapura.

I am looking for a small to medium, well muscled, sable coloured, ticked cat of foreign body type.  I am looking for prominent large almond shaped eyes and large ears.  I am looking for a smallish head with  roundish contours I am looking for a slight indentation in the profile with curving above this.  I am looking for tabby markings on the face and incomplete barring on the front and hind legs.  I am looking for a distinctive sepia ground colour on the underside of the cat, a black tail tip and darker ticking extending on the dorsal of the tail and then along the spine line.

Scoring the Singapura.

Like the Abyssinian and  Somali cats fully 45 points is given to the coat of the Singapura.  30 is given to the head and only 20 for the body.