The Singapura is an alert, healthy, small 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 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 Southeast 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 Singapura is an outgoing & friendly cat. It is active, even into adulthood. It has a quiet voice which it doesn't use a great deal. They are very inquisitive & like to be a part of everything their care is involved in. While they are an active breed of cat, with a particular fondness of high places, they are also extremely affectionate, and enjoy cuddling up with their owners.
