Base colour
Seal sepia ticked only
- Ground colour all warm tones of old ivory.
- Chest, underside of the body and inner sides of the legs a lighter shade without ticking.
About the Singapura
Origin: Singapore
View Singapura breedersSee Singapura kittens
1 breeder is on record here. Portugal’s FIFe member club does not list this breed in its breeder directory at all, so an absence here says nothing about whether anyone breeds it in Portugal.
- Typical life span
- 12-15 years
- Size
- Small — from its typical weight
- Weight
- 1.8-3.6 kg
- Height
- 18-23 cm
- Registry status
- Recognised by TICA
- Breed group
- Short-haired
- Origin
- Singapore
- Known hereditary risks
- 3 documented conditions, with the test for each
About
What is a Singapura?
Small, muscular cat with distinctive sepia agouti coat and large eyes. One of the smallest domestic cat breeds.
Singapura history and origins
Origin debated - claimed to be from Singapore street cats but controversy exists about true origins. Also called 'Drain Cat' for Singapore street cats' hiding places. CFA recognized in 1988.
Singapura appearance and size
Typically 1.8-3.6 kg and 18-23 cm at the shoulder — published as one range rather than separately for males and females.
Singapura temperament and personality
Generally described as affectionate, curious, easy going, intelligent, interactive, lively, loyal and playful.
That is the breed in general, not a promise about one animal. Ask the breeder what their own line is like, and meet the parents before you decide.
Breed reference from The Cat API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Small
- Exercise needs
- —
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- —
- Grooming needs
- 2 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- 3 conditions documented
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Singapura
What you get with the Singapura
- Low grooming needs, fitting for a busy owner — the coat is “Very short, lying close to the body. Fine and silky.”
- Commonly described as: “Affectionate, Curious, Easy Going, Intelligent”
What you are taking on
- 2 serious inherited conditions are documented, mainly in eyes and blood. The health guide tab has the test to ask for on each.
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FIFe breed standard; The Cat API; UC Davis VGL — PK deficiency test. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FIFe standard · Singapura
Coat and colour
As the FIFe standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
Coat
Very short, lying close to the body.
Fine and silky.
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FIFe’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FIFe standard SIN — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
Temperament
AffectionateCuriousEasy GoingIntelligentInteractiveLivelyLoyalPlayful
Breed-level information from The Cat API. It describes the Singapura in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
Health & screening guide for the Singapura
Known hereditary risks for the Singapura breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
3 conditions documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Eyes
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-rdAc)
Serious
An inherited, untreatable form of blindness. Affected kittens have normal vision at birth that degenerates from around seven months old, with most cats fully blind by three to five years.
What to ask for
PRA-rdAc (CEP290) DNA test on both parents, showing an N/N (clear) result
1 source
Hormones & metabolism
Burmese hypokalemia
Monitor
An inherited disorder causing episodes of low blood potassium and skeletal muscle weakness, most visible in the neck as a wobbly gait or difficulty holding the head up. It is not usually fatal and is manageable with dietary potassium supplementation once diagnosed.
What to ask for
Burmese hypokalemia (WNK4) DNA test on both parents, showing an N/N (clear) result
Blood
Erythrocyte pyruvate kinase deficiency (PK deficiency)
Serious
An inherited haemolytic anaemia causing intermittent lethargy, weakness, jaundice and weight loss, with unpredictable onset and severity. UC Davis names Singapura specifically as a breed with the mutation at meaningful frequency.
What to ask for
PK deficiency DNA test on both parents, showing an N/N (clear) result
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where Singapura owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Kittens
No kittens listed right now
That is not the same as none existing. Publishing a litter is part of a breeder's subscription here, so a Singapura breeder can have a litter and no listing — ask them directly.
See Singapura breeders