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 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 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 shouldn’t - but that is part of their charm.