Singapura (cat)

Infobox Catbreed
name = Singapura

---

imagecaption = Adult male neuter Singapura, with distinct banding on inside legs.
altname = Drain Cat
Kucinta
nickname =
country = Recorded as Singapore
notrecognized =
extinct =
cfastd = http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/standards/singapura.html
fifestd =
ticastd = http://www.ticaeo.com/Content/Publications/Pages/SG.pdf
gccfstd =
aacestd = http://www.aaceinc.org/pages/breeds/sin.htm
acfastd = http://www.acfacats.com/singapura_standard.htm
acfstd =
ccastd =
otherstd =
note = |

The Singapura is a cat breed with a contentious history. Reportedly established from three "drain cats" imported from Singapore in the 1970s, it was later revealed that the cats were originally sent to Singapore from the US before they were exported back to the US. Investigations by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) concluded no wrongdoing and the Singapura kept its status as a natural breed.

One of the smallest breeds of cats, the Singapura is noted for its large eyes and ears, brown ticked coat and shortened and blunt tail. In the UK, a pet-quality Singapura can cost £3-400 (US$6-800 USD) while a show specimen can cost upwards of £600. [ [http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/northdevongazette/news/story.aspx?brand=NDGOnline&category=news&tBrand=devon24&tCategory=newsndga&itemid=DEED29%20Mar%202006%2008%3A29%3A28%3A763 Bundles of joy] North Devon Gazzete, March 29, 2006]

History

Foundation

In 1975, after a working stint in Singapore, Tommy and Hal Meadow returned to the US with what they say were three local brown-ticked cats.Cathie McHenry, [http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/articles/singapura.html Breed article] Cat Fanciers' Association] These three cats, a pair of male and female kittens from the same litter and another young female, were the foundation used to establish the Singapura. The breed takes its name from the traditional name for Singapore (Singapura, which means lion city in Malay). In 1981, a breeder visited Singapore and chanced upon a cat fitting the profile of the Singapura (with the exception of the tail) in the local SPCA. The cat was imported to the US and adopted into the breeding program.

The Singapura was accepted for registration by the CFA in 1982 and granted championship status in 1988. In between this period, breeders found that the occasional litter would have a solid colored kitten, caused by the recessive gene for solid color. In a desire for the Singapura to breed true, many breeders chose to do test matings to pinpoint and remove from their breeding programs individuals with the recessive gene. It was discovered that two of the three foundation cats carried this gene.Hal Meadow [http://www.thesingapuracat.50megs.com/history.htm Breed history] ]

Controversy

In 1987, while on a cat finding trip to Singapore, American breeder Jerry Mayes discovered importation papers which revealed that the three foundation cats were actually taken into Singapore from the US in 1974.Phil Maggitti, [http://www.petpublishing.com/catkit/breeds/singapura.shtml The Singapura] Cats and Kittens Magazine] This went relatively unnoticed until 1990 when the Singapore Tourist and Promotion Board (now Singapore Tourism Board) started a campaign to use the Singapura as a national mascot. Reporter Sandra Davie was informed of the discrepancy and published an article about it in the national broadsheet The Straits Times.

Due the cats being registered as Abyssinians in the import certificates, and the fact that the Meadows had been breeders of Abyssinian, Burmese, and Siamese, some have speculated that the Singapura is a Burmese/Abyssinian cross and it has even been described as such by CFA Judges. The resemblance of some Burmese/Abyssinian cross to the Singapura, as well as the Singapura's small litter size, which is uncommon in natural breeds, added more doubts to the Meadows' story.

The CFA investigated the incident at the request of a Singapura breed club. In the investigation, Hal Meadow told the investigation board that the three cats were grandchildren of four local cats he sent back to the US during a previous supposedly sensitive business trip to Singapore in 1971, contradicting the Meadows' earlier claim of the foundation cats' origin. Apparently Tommy Meadow lied about it to conceal the secret trip.Annalisa Dass, [http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg/articles/SIP_867_2004-12-23.html Singapura Cat] Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board] The CFA found no wrongdoing and kept the Singapura's status as a natural breed. CFA's Joan Miller said that "Whether they mated on the streets of Singapore or whether they mated in Michigan, it doesn't really matter. In addition, there is at least one documented cat that is behind many Singapura pedigrees and it was picked up at the pound. Even with none of the cats the Meadows brought in we still have a legitimate cat from Singapore behind our Singapuras."

Recent studies in 2007 based on feline DNA showed that there is very little genetic differences between the Singapura and Burmese, [Rob Stein, [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/22/MNJQVL9BH.DTL Using DNA to track the origins of cats: Study confirms they were domesticated in Fertile Crescent] Washington Post, March 23, 2008] adding support to the claim that the Singapura is not a natural breed.

ingapuras in Singapore

The Singapore Tourist and Promotion Board(STPB) proceeded with the decision to use the cat (advertised under the name Kucinta) as a tourism mascot after CFA concluded its investigation. The name Kucinta is an amalgamation of the Malay words "kucing" (cat) and "cinta" (love) and taken from the winning entry in a naming competition. Sculptures of the Singapura can be found by the Singapore River. While brown cats with ticked coats can occasionally be seen, few if any resembles the Singapura, with the majority of cats being bobtailed tabbies, tortoiseshells or bicolor, and the move by the STPB is seen by locals to be an advertising move based on the popularity of the breed among tourists at that time. [Sarah Hartwell [http://www.messybeast.com/kucinta.htm Kucinta - The Love Cat of Singapore] messybeast.com]

Description

Appearance

The Singapura is a moderately stocky and muscular small to medium-sized cat, with a very short and fine coat. A full grown female usually weighs 5-6 pounds while the male weighs 6-8 pounds. The large, slightly pointed and deep cupped ears together with the large almond shaped eyes are a characteristic of the breed. The tail is slender, slightly shorter than the length of the body and has a blunt tip.

The breed's coat pattern is that of a ticked tabby. That is, individual hair strands have alternating sections of dark and light color, typically two dark bands separated by two light bands, with a dark color at the tip. The underside, including the chest muzzle and chin takes the color of the light bands. The Singapura is recognized by cat registries in only one color, the sepia agouti, described as "dark brown ticking on a warm old ivory ground color".

Temperament

The Singapura is described by the CFA as active, curious and playful. They are affectionate and desire human interaction. They have a tendency to perch on high places, to allow them a better view of their surrounding.

Health

Of concern to breeders is the condition known as uterine inertia, an inability to expel the fetus due to weak muscles. This condition was present in one of the foundation cat and appears on some Singapura females today. Individuals with uterine inertia would require delivery by Caesarean section.

There are no other known genetic health problems in the Singapura although breeders have shown concern regarding the genetic diversity of the breed due to inbreeding caused by a small gene pool.Nicki Ruetz, [http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/articles/singapura-2005.html Singapura breed article] Cat Fanciers' Association] Researches who did the DNA study above found that the Singapura(along with the Burmese) have the least genetic diversity among the 22 breeds studied. The possibility of outcrossing with another breed to increase the genetic diversity had been raised among CFA breeders, but not many were receptive to the idea, preferring to use Singapuras from around the world that are not so closely related to the CFA line.

References

External links

* [http://www.thesingapuracat.50megs.com/history.htm Breed history] as told by original Singapura importer - Tommy Meadow
*Cat Fanciers' Association
** [http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/singapura.html Singapura breed profile]
** [http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/articles/singapura.html Singapura breed article] by Cathie McHenry
** [http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/articles/singapura-2005.html Singapura breed article] by Nicki Ruetz
* [http://www.petpublishing.com/catkit/breeds/singapura.shtml The Singapura] by Phil Magitti. Cats and Kittens Magazine
* [http://www.messybeast.com/kucinta.htm Kucinta - The Love Cat of Singapore - and the Bobtails of Malaysia] at messybeast.com