Description and content of Singapore cats

Cats remain the most popular pets around the world. Among the large number of breeds of these animals, Asian representatives of the feline family are especially popular. The Singaporean cat is popular among breeders due to its visual appeal, docile disposition and small size, in light of which it perfectly coexists with a person in the same dwelling.

Singapura cat or Singapura is a pet breed that is notable for its modest size. For a long time, it was these representatives of the feline family that were considered the smallest in the whole world, which is why they were included in the Guinness Book of Records. Today, pets of the Singaporean breed belong to the class of elite pets, so their population all over the world stands out with rather modest numbers.

The ancestors of the Singapura are considered to be cats that live on the island of the same name and did not gain popularity among the indigenous population, since they chose sewers as their habitat. The work on the modernization of the sewer system caused the death of a large number of these animals. However, a lucky chance allowed the breed not only to survive, but also to radically change the attitude towards such cats. The animals attracted the attention of scientists who were on the island at that time, who took several individuals to America, where further work on breeding the breed was carried out. In 1974, the descendants of previously exported representatives of Singaporean cats were brought back, after which the animals began to take part in exhibitions.

Some sources also contained information that Singapore owes its origin to the Burmese and Abyssinian breeds, since all the same scientists worked on them.

In addition to their small size, Singaporean cats also have a rather modest weight: for example, the weight of adult animals varies from 500 grams to a kilogram. As for the physique of pets, even a small mass does not prevent animals from having a muscular body with a short but strong neck. The legs and tail are of normal length, however, there are certain requirements for the color of these parts of the body. There should be no stripes on the outside of the legs, and the end of the tail should have a darker shade of coat.

The external features of cats of this breed allow us to consider them pretty creatures - this is due to the presence of large almond-shaped eyes, with an expression of slight surprise. The head of cats is round, the nose is wide and blunt. Pupils can be yellow or green. The ears are small, pointed at the ends.

The main distinguishing feature of the Singaporean cat breed is their color; in purebred animals, it is only one... Moreover, there are a lot of options for describing it - from the color of the sun's rays to the shade of golden sand. The standard for the breed is a cream-colored coat with a brown ticking that will be concentrated on the head, along the back and on the tail. This color is called sepia agouti. The requirements for the color of the cat's coat also affect the number of stripes on the hairs, of which there should be no more than two, and the root will always be lighter than the end.

Cats and cats of this breed are short-haired animals, but the tactile sensations when stroking them suggest that the pet's coat is very silky and soft.

A characteristic feature in the appearance of Singaporean cats is the "rims" around the eyes and nose, the nose of the animal will be painted in salmon color, while the pads on the limbs will turn out to be pink with a brown tint. The contrasting borders on the cat's face resemble the color of a cheetah.

According to international standards, purebred animals should have the following specific differences:

• the body will be rectangular with smoothed corners;
• the limbs should not be long;
• the nose and chin should be in one line;
• the ears will widen at the base, they are located at an average distance from each other;
• the slanting of the eyes is more pronounced towards the outer corner, the distance between them is equal to the width of the eye itself;
• the tail will be of medium length with a blunt tip, its length, when placed along the body of the animal, should reach the shoulder joint of the cat.

According to the reviews of breeders, cats stand out for their docile disposition, friendly attitude towards humans. However, even when living together with people, cats of this breed tend to maintain their independence and authority. At the same time, the animals are very affectionate, willingly spend time with the owner, demonstrate their tenderness. Kittens very quickly become attached to their owner, therefore difficulties with adaptation to a new place of residence for breeders, as a rule, do not arise.

Cats have a very developed maternal instinct, so they will take care not only of their offspring, but also of the children of their owner.This fact allows you to have Singapore cats even in large families and with small children.

Cats of this breed are social animals that will willingly make contact even with strangers. Pets are very inquisitive and playful, and they show aggression only as a last resort - in order to protect themselves. Representatives of the feline family retain their activity and playful disposition until old age, so it is rather difficult to find a Singaporean cat outside of play or movement. Animals willingly enter into games with other pets, regardless of whether it is a dog or even a decorative rat.

For all their independence, Singaporean cats are very attached to their breeder, therefore they can be constant companions in all his household chores. Animals are smart, so they are easy to train. If desired, such a pet can be taught simple commands, and tailed family members can remember their nickname and respond to it.

Singapore meows very rarely, animals are unobtrusive in terms of living together, therefore, in the absence of the owner, they are able to find something to do and have fun for themselves. Domesticated cats have preserved an innate hunting instinct, their low weight and size will not interfere with the desire to catch prey.

The main point regarding the maintenance of an animal is a properly selected diet. So, Singapore nutrition must be strictly controlled, since animals can eat uncontrollably, which will cause excess weight gain. For those cats that will eat industrially produced food, the breeder is advised to strictly control the daily intake by the cat, avoiding an increase in its amount. One kilogram of animal weight will require more than 25-30 grams of feed per feeding. The optimal industrial feed will be products containing no more than 30% of meat ingredients. With such a diet, the cat should always have free access to drinking water.

Pets that will eat regular food need to be provided with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. That's why the following foods should be present in the diet of cats:

• boiled lean meat;
• cereals;
• quail eggs;
• medium fat cottage cheese and sour cream;
• boiled vegetables;
• fruits.

There is a list of foods that are contraindicated for animals:

• sausages and smoked meats;
• pork;
• River fish;
• any milk;
• confectionery.

As a supplement to natural food, the cat owner is advised to use mineral and vitamin complexes, which can be purchased at the vet pharmacy. As the experience of keeping Singapore cats shows, premium products are more suitable for them from industrial feed.

Special care is not required for the animal's coat: as a rule, cats cope with hygiene on their own, however, to improve the appearance of the coat, the breeder should sometimes brush the pet. This is necessary to remove dead hairs. Usually, such manipulations are carried out once a week. Molting in animals takes place without any particular inconvenience for the breeder, most often the owner does not even notice the beginning and end of this process.

Singapore cats do not need bathing. Such a need may appear only if a small pet participates in specialized exhibitions. The ears of the animal require attention, since they stand out for their size, due to which they become a kind of target for dust and other contaminants.Every week, the owner should inspect his cat and remove accumulated dirt with a damp cotton pad; you can use cotton swabs and a special ear cleaner available from the pet store.

The eyes require more frequent care, so they are treated with wet sponges daily, and the use of decoctions from chamomile, calendula or St. John's wort is also allowed.

A breeder of Singaporean cats will need a nail clipper, which will have to cut off the grown claws from a small pet as they grow back. Typically, these procedures are performed twice a month. Also, the animal can help itself to grind them off on its own - for this, it is worth placing two or three scratching posts in the dwelling.

Hygiene measures related to Singapura involve caring for the animal's oral cavity. Pets' teeth are brushed several times a week with a soft brush.

These animals are distinguished by innate cleanliness, therefore they very quickly learn to relieve themselves in a specially designated tray. However, the breeders of this breed recommend that inexperienced owners purchase a closed structure for the animal, since during these periods it will need privacy. As a rule, animals will adapt to using the litter box with any litter.

Since the animals are quite active and playful, the breeder will need to provide the small cats with leisure time in their home. In order for the animal to have something to occupy itself with, it is better for him to install various ladders, tunnels in the house, purchase several toys, houses and hammocks.

Singapore cats can be taken for a walk, but in this case it is worth remembering that animals react very badly to cold and drafts. That is why it is recommended to go outside with the animal only in the warm season.

In a miniature cat breed, maturation and development are rather slow. Usually, Singaporeans reach full maturity closer to 24 months. However, even such a leisurely development does not prevent the animals of this breed from being famous for their excellent health. Among the frequent problems, one can note an increased sensitivity to vaccination, therefore, all Singaporean vaccinations should be done only in good veterinary clinics. Deworming and professional examinations for miniature pets are mandatory.

In order not to provoke the occurrence of health problems for your pet, you should avoid drafts in the room where the cat lives.

Signs that the animal has a cold will be:

• discharge from the nose and eyes, which the owner should notice during the daily hygiene procedures;
• apathy and inactivity, which are unusual for this breed;
• sneezing and an increase in body temperature.

The presence of at least one of the above symptoms is a good reason to immediately contact your veterinarian. Self-medication in this case is not recommended.

It is worth highlighting the main ailments that can occur in the breed in the light of the lack of genetic diversity.

Most often, ailments affect females. As a result of the peculiarities of the muscle tissue of the organs of the animal, which are not able to contract in the proper rhythm and with the proper force, cats may have problems with natural childbirth. In this case, a caesarean section is performed for pregnant animals.

This ailment concerns genetic malfunctions, as a result of which a deficiency of a glycolytic enzyme is observed in the body of pets, which causes hemolytic anemia.Signs of such a disease will be changes in the behavior of the animal, when the cat becomes lethargic, appetite worsens, and hair loss is observed. Such a disease can be sluggish, however, there are cases of the rapid development of the disease, which can become a serious threat to the life of a representative of the feline family.

The Singapore cat breed can also have defects in appearance. These include:

• defects in the structure of the tail, which will be noticeable only when probing;
• dark color of the villi at the very base;
• gray color of the animal's fur.

For information on how to keep Singapore cats, see the next video.