Singapura
The smallest breed recognised, at four to six pounds full grown. A ticked coat, outsized eyes and ears, and it came off the streets of Singapore.
Photo by Renamed user 51g7z61hz5af2azs6k6, CC BY-SA 3.0
Overview
The Singapura is the smallest recognised breed, with adults commonly between four and eight pounds. It is a sepia ticked cat with very large eyes and ears in proportion to a small body.
The origin story places it among the street cats of Singapore in the 1970s, and it has been disputed, with evidence suggesting the founding cats may have come from Abyssinian and Burmese stock in the United States. The breed is small in numbers as well as in size.
Temperament
Busy, curious and thoroughly people focused. Singapuras are described as pesky in the affectionate sense: they get into everything, sit on whatever is being worked on, and ride on shoulders.
They are moderately vocal in a soft voice, sociable with visitors and other animals, and they stay kittenish for years. They dislike being alone.
Care and grooming
A weekly rub down for the very short close coat. There is almost nothing to it.
Pyruvate kinase deficiency, an inherited anaemia, is found in the breed and has a DNA test. Uterine inertia has also been reported in Singapura queens, which is a breeding concern rather than a pet one but worth knowing about the breed.
Living and exercise
An indoor household with height and company. They are small, fast and curious, and they climb.
Being this small they feel the cold and will seek out warm places, including inside things. Eleven to fifteen years is usual, and the gene pool is narrow enough to be worth asking a breeder about.
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