Furry Diary

Singapura

Also called Kucinta, Drain Cat, Kopitiam Cat

Recognised breedShort profile

From Developed in the United States from brown ticked cats brought from Singapore in 1975 (with another import in 1980). The breed's origin story has been debated.123

At a glance the quick version

Weight, male2.7 to 3.6 kg123
Weight, female1.8 to 2.7 kg123
Lifespan9 to 15 years2
Sizesmall

CFA gives males 6-7 lb and females 4-5 lb; GCCF gives males 6-8 lb and females 5-6 lb. Wikipedia gives averages of about 2.7 kg (male) and 1.8 kg (female).

tiny, big-eyed and endearing
outgoing, curious and playful for life
soft voice and easy-care coat
12

Coat and looks how to spot one

very short, fine, silky ticked coat

One of the smallest pedigree cats, but sturdy and muscular rather than fragile, with a squarish outline. The head carries very large, deep-cupped ears and huge almond eyes. The close-lying coat is ticked, so each hair shows bands of dark brown over a warm ivory base.123

Colourssepia agouti only: dark brown ticking on warm old ivoryeyes hazel, green or yellow123

Personality what they are like

A lively, people-loving cat that wants to be in the middle of everything and can be a bit bossy about it. It stays playful well into old age, yet it is quiet, with a gentle voice.12

Daily activity how busy a day looks

High. Active and inquisitive, so it needs daily play and things to explore.12

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Low. A weekly comb removes loose hair; the coat sheds little, though most Singapuras enjoy being groomed.12

Company who they like around

Very people-oriented and prefers company to long hours alone.1

The story where it all began

Americans Hal and Tommy Meadow brought ticked cats back from Singapore in 1975, and a further female, Chiko, was imported in 1980. The story became controversial when paperwork suggested the first cats had travelled to Singapore from the US in 1974, but CFA reviewed the matter and kept the breed's status. The first Singapura reached the UK in 1988.123

Fun facts for the dinner table

  1. 1

    Singapore used the breed as a tourism mascot under the name Kucinta, blending the Malay words for cat and love.3

  2. 2

    It is often described as the smallest cat breed widely accepted by registries.3

  3. 3

    Singapuras keep growing until about two years old.2

  4. 4

    The breed comes in just one colour, sepia agouti.1

Recognised by the official bits

CFA
Accepted for registration 1981 (some sources say 1982); championship status 19881
TICA
Registered from 1979; eligible for championship3
GCCF
Section 4, Foreign, Group 12
FIFe
Recognised; appears in FIFe registration statistics3

Popularity 44th of 54 breeds in FIFe kitten registrations (0.04% of the total)3

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Singapura. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

  1. CFA: Singapura cfa.orgused for history, recognition, body, weight, coat, colour, eyes, temperament, grooming
  2. GCCF: Singapura gccfcats.orgused for history, recognition, weight, lifespan, temperament, grooming
  3. Wikipedia: Singapura cat en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, history controversy, recognition, weight, popularity, fun facts

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.