Singapura Cat Picture

The amazingly large eyes in relation to the head size is a bit surprising in this excellent Singapura cat picture by Sakura Ishihara on Flickr. The picture is titled:

シンガプーラのジジちゃん in Japanese (I think!). Sakura is a cat photographer.

Singapura cat

I actually took the extreme liberty to adjust the photograph; fading the edges away a bit and darkening the highlights a bit too.

I have never seen a domestic cat with such large eyes in relation to head size before. With respect to the breeder, it looks a little exaggerated. I am not sure if there are health issues.

You can see an American show cat photograph by the professional cat photographer Helmi Flick on this page and a lot of detail about this cat breed, the smallest cat breed, on this page.

The history of the Singapura is clouded in mystery and a bit scandalous. No that is too strong a word but the big question is: is this cat breed "manufactured" (hybrid selective breeding etc.) or was it discovered in the drains of Singapore? The Singapura is quite a rare cat breed.

Singapura Cat Picture

A beautifully smooth, elegant Singapura cat picture by the well known cat photographer, Helmi Flick; taken in the United States. Three things come to mind about this rare cat breed. It is the world's smallest cat breed. That does not mean it is the world's smallest cat, far from it. The wild cat, rusty-spotted cat is smaller and teacup and miniature cats are smaller but these are not cat breeds. Secondly, the origins of this breed are disputed. Some claim that the breed originates in the feral cats living in the drains and streets of Singapura. Fanciful, I suspect. Sarah Hartwell (Messybeast) did not see any when she visited Singapore! This is probably a created hybrid, which does not make it any less attractive or interesting. Lastly, this cat has a smooth, ticked tabby coat. The Abyssinian has a similar coat. However, the base color for the Singapura is an "antique ivory"¹. The color is "seal sepia" technically. The eyes are large relative to head size and the body compact (semi-cobby). Read and see more if you wish...

Note: (1) Legacy of the Cat - ISBN 0-8118-2910-3