Attempts have been made in recent years, by some breeders, to find more Singapore street cats of appropriate type and coloration, to incorporate into the limited gene pool. The Singaporean government has a policy of undergoing periodic “sweeps” of the street cat populations, during which the cats, viewed as pests, are systematically rounded up and destroyed. A tenacious few always manage to survive to re-populate the streets over time and the cycle starts again, but finding the small brown ticked tabbies, has become more and more difficult.

The Singapura may be thought of as the Interactive Cat. They genuinely seem to thrive on human company. These cats often become deeply attached to their owners, and are very sensitive to their moods. Such devotion makes them easy to spoil, and also makes their owners easy to manipulate. It’s rare that a determined Singapura does not get exactly what it wants, when it wants it; not many people can look into those large, expressive eyes, and easily say no. Singapuras are quite trainable - and quite capable of training their owners, in kind.

Singapuras may also be thought of as the “Anti-Persian”. While the latter has a reputation for being a placid, easygoing, and relaxed cat, Singapuras are busy busy busy ... tf you’re looking for a quiet cat that will sit around to be admired, don’t even think about a Singapura. They are affectionate, but obnoxiously lively, curious, and intelligent cats with a knack for getting into every nook and cranny of the house (especially the ones that are off-limits, like the shelf where you keep your good china). They seem to enjoy being up high, where their large eyes and ears can take in everything that is going on around them. They do not outgrow this playful nature, or their ceaseless desire to assist in daily household activities. Singapuras can often be found perched on their owner’s shoulders “helping” with the cooking of dinner, the folding of laundry, the reading of the morning newspaper, or the writing out of bills each month. Many Singapura owners experience a continual lost-pen phenomenon: pens disappear seemingly moments after being put down, and aren’t found until much later, tucked away under some large piece of furniture, or down in the pillows of the couch.

Singapuras seem to get along well with other animals, feline and otherwise. Many have formed lasting friendships with dogs and other pets. They do seem to prefer living with some kind of company, and do not thrive when left alone all day. Females tend to be the more dominant sex while the males are much more placid. Females across the breed are reputed to be wonderful mothers, and will often nurse their kittens well past the age when other breeds have been weaned. Given the slow rate at which this breed matures, the social skills of the kittens benefit greatly by staying with their mother and littermates a bit longer ... many breeders do not let their kittens go to new homes until they are between 12 and 16 weeks of age. Both males and females may urine mark when they reach sexual maturity, so timely spaying and neutering of animals being kept as non-breeding pets, is a must.