Our Singapuras

We would like to share with you our announcement that we are proud Singapura parents yet again.

A litter of the three, mum and kitties doing well.  There are 2 boys and 1 girl.  

Today they are 14 days old today, born on 13th May 2008. - more information to follow in due course.

Where do they come from?

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 - both the brown as in Siamese and Burmese and the agouti or ticked pattern.  The area is the highest epicenter for the agouti gene, according to geneticist, Neal Todd, who has published articles on the migration of feline genes.  This breed is the same colour as seal point cats or brown Burmese, but the difference is the agouti coat pattern and how it interacts with the sepia brown.

      This is  Phoebe our first Singapura Queen, official name Pawra Moonbeam

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.  The breed was carefully developed from Ticle, Pusse, Tes, George and Gladys, the latter two being offspring from Ticle and Pusse.  In 1980 a further cat, Chiko, was imported from the SPCA (Singapore equivalent to RSPCA) into America.  The look of the cat as determined by these early imports, remains unaltered today.  In July 1990, the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board nominated the breed as a "travel mascot" and had a contest to determine its name.  Kucinta, meaning "love cat”, was the winner.  Kucinta has since been the object of worldwide promotions and publications.  She has even been named a National Treasure by the Singapore Government.

Breed Progress in the UK

Singapuras were first imported into the UK from the USA in 1988 by Carole Thompson of Gloucestershire. She brought in a pregnant female called Imagos Faye Raye of Usaf, who subsequently gave birth in quarantine to three kittens, Muffy, Mimi, and Kuan. Shortly afterwards came Sricoberys Indah, a boy imported as a suitable husband to Faye, Muffy and Mimi. Kuan went back to Canada to become a Quadruple Grand Champion with the American Cat Fanciers Association.

Carole later sold some of her cats to Pat and Eddie Bell of Northumberland, and very soon afterwards Debbie Van Den Berg and her partner, Mal, fell in love with the breed. They purchased their first two girls, Tolgoblin Sweet Saffron (Saffie) and Tolgoblin Esmirelda Ofmine (Esme) from Pat and Eddie. Before long they had purchased an American import male called Changis Singing Purs Theo as a suitable mate for the girls, as well as Tolgoblin Elven Princess (Alice), a half sister to Saffy and Esme.

Despite the fact that the Singapura has Championship status with all registering bodies in the USA, and in several other countries, they did not have recognition over here. Debbie and Mal started exhibiting their cats with the GCCF in the hope that they could popularise the breed enough to merit its recognition. The interest generated from the visits to shows was very encouraging, and in late 1993 they set about forming the Singapura Cat Club. By June 1997 there was a total of 54 cats registered with the GCCF, at which time the Breed and Club were ready to apply for Preliminary recognition and Club affiliation. It was all worthwhile as at the National Cat Club Show in December 1997, nine of cats achieved the first ‘Merits’ for the breed. Since then there are over twenty cats with the required amount of Merits, and the breed has done extremely well in side-classes. There are now numerous Singapuras registered with the GCCF.

In June 2002 the breed was promoted to Provisional Status where they are able to win Intermediate Championship Certificates and compete against other Provisional Breeds for the title of Best Provisional Breed at the GCCF Supreme Show. 

After fulfilling all the requirements laid down by the GCCF, on the 27th October 2004 the UK Singapura Cat Club were pleased to announce that the Singapuras had finally been granted Championship Status from June 2005. This news was of course received with great joy and jubilation, being the culmination of hard work by breeders across the UK who owe a great debt to Tommy Meadow who saw their potential all those years ago in Singapore. On the 16th July 2005 the first two UK champions achieved their titles.

             Millie was a really good mum to a number of litters but alas her kitten days are over

Eight imported cats have gone to establish the breed in the UK, and more have arrived from America.   All imports so far have been from as diverse lines as possible. The Singapura breed originates from only six cats, and the care which has gone into creating diverse and different pedigrees should not be tainted by unnecessarily close breeding. To this end the Singapura Cat Club has invested in a pedigree database which tells Members at a glance what the co-efficiency of inbreeding is on a given mating, and advises the most suitable match for a given cat.

General appearance

The Singapura is an alert, healthy, medium sized cat of foreign type.  The body has good bone structure and is moderately stocky and muscular, yet gives an impression of great elegance.   Females are usually smaller than the males, but still feel heavier than they look.  The strong slender legs taper to small oval feet.  The tail should be slender but not whippy. and should have a blunt tip.  Body colour is an old or golden ivory with a soft warm effect, ticked with sepia brown.  Each hair has at least two bands of sepia brown ticking, separated by light bands - light next to skin, and dark tip.  Muzzle, chest, stomach and inner legs are an unticked light ivory colour.  Singapuras should have some barring on their inner front legs and back knees.  The coat is short, fine, silky, and close-lying.

The breed has noticeably large eyes and ears.  Eyes are 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.  Ears are large, wide open at base, and deep cupped.  The outer line of the ears extends upwards to an angle slightly wide of parallel.  The head is gently rounded with a definite whisker break and a medium short, broad muzzle with a blunt nose.  In profile, the Singapura has a rounded skull with a slight stop just below eye level.  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

General grooming can be kept to a minimum, as for all shorthaired cats.  It is wise, though to comb the coat thoroughly from time to time.  Running a chamois leather gently over the coat will also keep help keep it shiny and silky.

To be owned by a Singapura is like having another member of the family, a caring affectionate and sensitive friend.  They have soft, gentle voices and love human company.

Dribbling and fetching ping pong balls is mastered at a very early age.  A great artist - the Singapura will take on many personas, they play and frolic, ‘help’ you read the paper by walking all over it (after all you should be fussing them), scale curtains, legs, cupboards and door frames, and love sitting on shoulders or curling up on laps.  They also do an amazing hot water bottle impression when it is late and cold, and spend hours of vigil sitting on your chest when you are feeling unwell.  Being vigorous cats they are active and lively, with a love of warmth.  Their 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.