The Singapura Cat (Kucinta)
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 natures
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 epicentre 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.
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
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
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 shouldnt - but that is
part of their charm.
