By MARJORIE DORFMAN
Originating in the streets of Singapore,
this breed of cat was brought to the
United States in the 1970s by two
American brothers (Hal and Tommy
Meadow). They acquired three local
“drain cats,” which were only one of
the many types of common street
felines known to the city of Singapore.
These cats became the foundation
for the breed whose name actually
means Singapore in the Malaysian
language. The gene pool that created the Singapura breed came from a combination of
the Burmese, the Copper Cat and the Abyssinian breeds. These cats represent a
naturally occurring combination of the ticked coat and dark brown color patterns, both of
which are indigenous to South East Asia.
The Meadow brothers made the promotion and perfection of this breed their ultimate
goal, and they spared no expense of both funds and time in doing so. In late 1978, a
woman named Barbara Gilbertson became the second American to breed and own a
pair of Singapuras, a female named Rummy and a male named Thumper. Soon other
breeders began to appear across this charming horizon, each and every one of them
sharing an intense love and commitment to the breed.
Singapuras are smaller than average cats. As such, veterinarians seeing such a cat for
the first time might think something was wrong because the kittens are so very small.
They are also very slow to develop to maturity and usually do not attain full size until they
are about 15 to 24 month of age. Males and females are basically the same size,
weighing in between five and eight pounds.
What makes the Singapura cat so very special? One can be fooled by the exceptionally
delicate demeanor and angelic face, but the Singapura captivates the beholder because
of its enchanting personality. Perhaps their most endearing quality is their genuine need
to love their owners and be loved in return. It is also a most intriguing aspect of their
personalities considering how close these animals are to the feral “drain cats” cats of
their native Singapore. They are trainable but they are so beguiling that they seem to be
better training their owners than they are of them.
Singapuras are shorthaired, with very large ears and eyes that range in color from hazel
to green to yellow. The feet are very small. Their light beige coloring, similar to that of a
cougar, is unique in the cat world. Today the breed is known throughout the world and
since 1988 has been recognized for championship status by most registration
associations.
These cats are highly intelligent, outgoing and very people-oriented. They bond with
everyone in a household and insist on helping the owner do everything. They’ll beat their
owners to the door and must inspect all activities performed on the kitchen counter. In
bed, a Singapura is like a warm, satin-coated heating pad that will inform the bed’s
occupant exactly when it’s time to wake up and play with the water in the sink.
Singapuras don’t mind other pets and get along well with children. They are curious and
playful, but not destructive. Their dispositions are sweet and endearing, and their unique
appearance mesmerizes all who behold them. These cats should always be kept
indoors and the warmest corner of the home is usually theirs.
Consider this breed the next time you are in the market for an adorable and loving pet.
Susie was busy nursing her kittens and Ross asked the owner if he could have one of
them. He developed the breed single-handedly from Susie’s progeny. In 1978, The
Scottish Fold was granted champion status by the Cat Fancier’s Association, accepting
two types; folded ear and straight (normal). The folded ear is the result of a spontaneous
mutation.
Pat Turner, a cat breeder and geneticist, became involved in the development of the
Scottish Fold back in the 1960s. She controlled many breedings over the course of three
years and along with another geneticist, Peter Dyte, came to the conclusion that the gene
mutation responsible for folded ears is a simple dominant. In simple terms, this
means that if a kitten inherits a gene for straight ears from one parent and one from
another parent for folded ears, the kitten is sure to be a fold.
Over the last twenty years, the Scottish Fold has developed its own special and unique
look even though some outcrosses are allowed (with American and British shorthairs).
Still, the Scottish Fold does not resemble either of those, and is instead, a medium sized
cat with a rounded, well-padded body and a short but very dense coat. Eyes are very
sweet, large, round and broadly spaced across their adorable faces.
Fold kittens are born with straight ears, which start to fold (or don’t) after about three or
four weeks of age. It may take up to three months for a breeder to determine the
show quality of a litter (ears folded only). The straight ear progeny of Scottish Folds, even
though they can not appear in the show ring, are nevertheless, invaluable to the breeding
of the line.
The Scottish Fold is considered rare when compared to the progeny of other breeds. Due
to the fact that not every kitten born will have folded ears, it is difficult for breeders to keep
the supply of kittens up to the demand. They have sweet dispositions (cats, not breeders)
but are very hardy animals with tiny voices. They are quiet but adore the companionship
of humans, which they display in their own unique way. They are good with children and
other animals, making them an excellent choice for a house pet.
Scottish Folds are much like their barnyard ancestors in that they are a hardy breed. They
are not known to be very talkative and have tiny voices, but they adore humans and show
it in their own particular fashion. They are highly adaptable creatures and fare well in
most home situations. They get along with children and other pets and they also are
known to respond well to transitory surroundings, like hotel rooms and such. These cats
come in many colors, including chocolate, lavender, Himalayan pattern or a combination
of any and all of these. They are also both longhaired and shorthaired.
The Scottish Fold makes a wonderful addition to any household brimming with love for
its four-legged creatures.
For more fun articles, visit Dorfman’s website, www.whatsnewemu.com.
Originating in the streets of Singapore,
this breed of cat was brought to the
United States in the 1970s by two
American brothers (Hal and Tommy
Meadow). They acquired three local
“drain cats,” which were only one of
the many types of common street
felines known to the city of Singapore.
These cats became the foundation
for the breed whose name actually
means Singapore in the Malaysian
language. The gene pool that created the Singapura breed came from a combination of
the Burmese, the Copper Cat and the Abyssinian breeds. These cats represent a
naturally occurring combination of the ticked coat and dark brown color patterns, both of
which are indigenous to South East Asia.
The Meadow brothers made the promotion and perfection of this breed their ultimate
goal, and they spared no expense of both funds and time in doing so. In late 1978, a
woman named Barbara Gilbertson became the second American to breed and own a
pair of Singapuras, a female named Rummy and a male named Thumper. Soon other
breeders began to appear across this charming horizon, each and every one of them
sharing an intense love and commitment to the breed.
Singapuras are smaller than average cats. As such, veterinarians seeing such a cat for
the first time might think something was wrong because the kittens are so very small.
They are also very slow to develop to maturity and usually do not attain full size until they
are about 15 to 24 month of age. Males and females are basically the same size,
weighing in between five and eight pounds.
What makes the Singapura cat so very special? One can be fooled by the exceptionally
delicate demeanor and angelic face, but the Singapura captivates the beholder because
of its enchanting personality. Perhaps their most endearing quality is their genuine need
to love their owners and be loved in return. It is also a most intriguing aspect of their
personalities considering how close these animals are to the feral “drain cats” cats of
their native Singapore. They are trainable but they are so beguiling that they seem to be
better training their owners than they are of them.
Singapuras are shorthaired, with very large ears and eyes that range in color from hazel
to green to yellow. The feet are very small. Their light beige coloring, similar to that of a
cougar, is unique in the cat world. Today the breed is known throughout the world and
since 1988 has been recognized for championship status by most registration
associations.
These cats are highly intelligent, outgoing and very people-oriented. They bond with
everyone in a household and insist on helping the owner do everything. They’ll beat their
owners to the door and must inspect all activities performed on the kitchen counter. In
bed, a Singapura is like a warm, satin-coated heating pad that will inform the bed’s
occupant exactly when it’s time to wake up and play with the water in the sink.
Singapuras don’t mind other pets and get along well with children. They are curious and
playful, but not destructive. Their dispositions are sweet and endearing, and their unique
appearance mesmerizes all who behold them. These cats should always be kept
indoors and the warmest corner of the home is usually theirs.
Consider this breed the next time you are in the market for an adorable and loving pet.
Susie was busy nursing her kittens and Ross asked the owner if he could have one of
them. He developed the breed single-handedly from Susie’s progeny. In 1978, The
Scottish Fold was granted champion status by the Cat Fancier’s Association, accepting
two types; folded ear and straight (normal). The folded ear is the result of a spontaneous
mutation.
Pat Turner, a cat breeder and geneticist, became involved in the development of the
Scottish Fold back in the 1960s. She controlled many breedings over the course of three
years and along with another geneticist, Peter Dyte, came to the conclusion that the gene
mutation responsible for folded ears is a simple dominant. In simple terms, this
means that if a kitten inherits a gene for straight ears from one parent and one from
another parent for folded ears, the kitten is sure to be a fold.
Over the last twenty years, the Scottish Fold has developed its own special and unique
look even though some outcrosses are allowed (with American and British shorthairs).
Still, the Scottish Fold does not resemble either of those, and is instead, a medium sized
cat with a rounded, well-padded body and a short but very dense coat. Eyes are very
sweet, large, round and broadly spaced across their adorable faces.
Fold kittens are born with straight ears, which start to fold (or don’t) after about three or
four weeks of age. It may take up to three months for a breeder to determine the
show quality of a litter (ears folded only). The straight ear progeny of Scottish Folds, even
though they can not appear in the show ring, are nevertheless, invaluable to the breeding
of the line.
The Scottish Fold is considered rare when compared to the progeny of other breeds. Due
to the fact that not every kitten born will have folded ears, it is difficult for breeders to keep
the supply of kittens up to the demand. They have sweet dispositions (cats, not breeders)
but are very hardy animals with tiny voices. They are quiet but adore the companionship
of humans, which they display in their own unique way. They are good with children and
other animals, making them an excellent choice for a house pet.
Scottish Folds are much like their barnyard ancestors in that they are a hardy breed. They
are not known to be very talkative and have tiny voices, but they adore humans and show
it in their own particular fashion. They are highly adaptable creatures and fare well in
most home situations. They get along with children and other pets and they also are
known to respond well to transitory surroundings, like hotel rooms and such. These cats
come in many colors, including chocolate, lavender, Himalayan pattern or a combination
of any and all of these. They are also both longhaired and shorthaired.
The Scottish Fold makes a wonderful addition to any household brimming with love for
its four-legged creatures.
For more fun articles, visit Dorfman’s website, www.whatsnewemu.com.
| SINGAPURA and the SCOTTISH FOLD: My, What Beautiful Eyes and What an Ear! |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
The Scottish Fold is a relatively
new breed of cat; the first one to
be found was in 1961 on a farm
in the Tayside Region of
Scotland, northwest of Dundee.
A shepherd by the name of
William Ross saw and was
quite taken with this cat’s ears,
which were folded forward and
downward on her head and
made her look like a little teddy
bear.
new breed of cat; the first one to
be found was in 1961 on a farm
in the Tayside Region of
Scotland, northwest of Dundee.
A shepherd by the name of
William Ross saw and was
quite taken with this cat’s ears,
which were folded forward and
downward on her head and
made her look like a little teddy
bear.