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SINGAPURA
The Singapura are smallest cats in the world. As a breed they are also classified as smallest breed at all. Average cat weighs only 2,7kg (6 lb). The body has good bone structure and is moderately stocky and muscular, yet gives an impression of great elegance. Their body is carried on strong but not stocky, rather slender legs. Their paws are oval shaped and quite small, and their pads are brown with dark hairs between the toes. Body color 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 color. Singapuras should have some barring on their inner front legs and back knees. The coat is short, fine, silky, and close-lying. Their head is rounded with a definite whisker break, and a straight nose and a rather broad, blunt muzzle. Ears are wide and cupped, turned outwards, as if cat is always listening behind herself. Eyes are large and almond shaped and beautifully outlined in black, 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 color hazel, green or yellow only, with ‘Cheetah' lines, present already in kittens, from the inner corner of the eye towards just
behind the whisker pad.
ORIGIN: The original home of the Singapura is the island of Singapore , with the breed taking its name from the local Malaysian name for the island and city of Singapore — meaning " Lion City". The original Singapuras were nocturnal, feral cats that lived largely in and around severs, scavenging for food and chasing rats, by local people known as "Drain cats". Although there are many disputes in origin of this breed, the breed itself is the result of natural combination of genes indigenous to Southeast Asia — both the brown as in Siamese and Burmese and the agouti or ticked pattern. Original Singapuras can still be found in Singapore 's sewers. Show cats available around world are actually disputed. Hal and Tom Meadows claim that they brought some Singapuras to United States as founders of new breeding program. But as they were already known Burmese and Abyssinian breeders, lot of other breeders and geneticists suspect that their Singapuras are just result of selective crossbreeding between Burmese and Abyssinian. This theory hinges on the fact that the only color in which Singapuras are bred is Sepia Agouti – a distinctive ticked tabby with at least two bands of ticking on each hair. Genetically, this occurrence is result of combining Burmese allele with agouti tabby pattern which first appeared in Abyssinian. Both of these genes originate from same area of the world and the natural Singapuras are probably derived in similar way, but there are also other colors present in natural Singapuras. The size of cats is something that goes in favor of breeders, because they are lot smaller that both Burmese or Abyssinian, but that could also be accomplished and maintained all the way to adulthood through meager diet, and later the cat will not grow again. Because of those suspicions, some cat fanciers organization do not accept Singapuras from US as a separate breed, and people from Singapore have not claimed their natural cat as separate breed.
STANDARD:
HEAD (15)
4 .. Skull shape
4 .. Width at eye
4 .. Muzzle shape
3 .. Profile
EARS (10)
4 .. Size
4 .. Set
2 .. Openness
EYES (10)
6 .. Size
3 .. Shape
1 .. Color
BODY, LEGS and TAIL (20)
3 .. Neck
10 .. Proportion
5 .. Legs and feet
2 .. Tail
COAT .. 15
COLOR & MARKINGS (30)
10 .. Color
9 .. Ticking
6 .. Facial Markings
5 .. Leg Markings
Accepted Colors:
Sepia
Other links: FBRL TICA ACFA CCA WCF CFA
