Singapura vs Serengeti - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

There are conflicting stories surrounding the origination of the Singapura. It does seem however, that natural Singapurans were found in Singapore.

The first documented account was of a cat known as Chiko who was found in a Singaporean SPCA in 1980 by Sheila Bowers and WA Brad.

It is regarded as a national treasure by the country’s government.

This is a cat breed that was deliberately bred to resemble the Serval cat. It was developed by crossing a Bengal cat and an Oriental Shorthair.

The cat was developed by biologist Karen Sausman in California in 1994. The breed is still under development.

The idea with this hybrid cat was to produce new domestic cat breed that would look like a wild cat but not have the wild characteristics.

The cat is recognized by TICA – The International Cat Association.

The Singapura cat is small in size, not weighing more than 2, 3 or 4kg. This short-haired, ivory-colored coat has brown ticking.

The cat is a natural breed and is muscular and strong. It is actually the smallest of the domestic cats. The cat has big ears, large green or yellowish eyes and is often referred to as ‘Pura’.

While the Singapura looks like a small, finely boned cat, when you pick him up, you discover that he is actually deceivingly heavy. The cat has slender legs with the back legs being slightly longer than the front legs. The tail ends with a recognizable black tip.

Temperament:

The Pura is intelligent and inquisitive and loves leaping onto high surfaces to explore. They then love to come bounding down and to land in one of his family member’s laps. This cat is a bundle of energy and playfulness. You'll need to invest in toys for your fun-loving Pura who loves nothing more than to be playing with soft little balls or scampering after a toy-mouse.

He is social and extroverted and gets along well with children and dogs in the house. He isn’t as vocal as some of the other cat breeds and actually has a quiet voice. The Singapura cat personality is outgoing, active and inquisitive and full of tricks and he is always ready to join in with any games.

These are spotted cats with long legs and large, round-tipped ears. The neck is long and the body lithe, lean, and muscular.

They are medium to large in size and can weigh up to 7 or 8kg. The coat is tan and cream with silver or grey coloring as well as black spots and stripes. Some Serengetis appear to be black but on closer look, you see that they have what is known as ‘ghost spotting’ – a black-spotted pattern that can scarcely be seen.

You may even think you are looking at a black panther. The coat is short, silky, smooth, and sleek. The eyes of the cat are round and are usually amber or gold.

Temperament:

The Serengeti is a friendly, social, and confident cat that is quite capable of forming a strong attachment to its human family. It is a loving, loyal cat. The cat can become bored and will need plenty of puzzle toys to keep his mind and body physically active.

You will need to provide him with a scratching post too as he is a lively, energetic cat. This isn’t only an indoor cat. Cats like the Serengeti will need an outdoor enclosure and the Serengeti cat will need branches and perches to leap up onto.

He is an active cat and can become bored if left indoors. They are capable of making a good family pet and are vocal too – telling you all sorts of things.

Singapuras make awesome pets and with all their energy and antics they provide hours of entertainment. They are intelligent, energetic, and playful. The people who have them say they become your best friend because they are cats that are sensitive to the moods of their human owners.

Dynamite comes in small packages, and that’s exactly what you get when you bring the small Singapura cat into your home and life.

The Serengeti is both a friendly and affectionate cat even though he is a bit shy and overwhelmed in new surroundings.

He is a cat that talks quite a bit and if he is happy and content he enjoys 'chatting' to you about his day.

He is able to get on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He is an athletic cat and just loves to climb, and this is why he will certainly need an outdoor enclosure as he loves to dart around madly from time to time, and doing that in your home could be quite dangerous.

He is capable of being a loving cat breed and can form a strong bond with his human family.

Your sweet Singapura cat has no particular genetic problems to deal with and also no specific health concerns. Although he is a generally healthy cat, one health condition that you want to be aware of is uterine inertia with the females.

This particular condition was found in one of the foundation cats and still appears in some Singapura females.

Look after him well and return his love, and health issues will remain low. Having said that, every cat breed can develop health problems, and it pays to understand some of the more common cat illnesses.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease is something that both male- and female cats can get. Watch that your Singapura doesn’t become overweight or unfit because this disease often occurs in cats who have become overweight.

Stress with a cat can also bring about this most uncomfortable disease in your cat. You’ll see your cat straining to urinate, he cries when urinating, and he isn’t his usual chirpy self. He may even have bloody urine. Get your pet to the vet immediately as not being able to urinate is an emergency.

Hybrid Cats such as the Serengeti are a combination of a wild breed and a domestic breed. With good care he can live to be up to 15 years of age and possibly longer.

Hybrid cats are always controversial because people who have owned them have got both good and bad to say about them. They have some behavioral issues and many of them have an aggressive side, they’re aloof and they refuse to use a litter box. The cat can’t be blamed though because they have that wild side.

They also come with some health issues such as premature birth, miscarriage, diarrhea, and irritable bowel disease. You may just find yourself more often at the vet than you’d like.

You will need to ensure that your Serengeti gets all his vaccines and de-worming treatments.

Your Singapura cat’s short coat is easy to groom. Brush your pet every week to remove the loose hairs and to also keep the coat sleek and shiny.

Every cat is a carnivore. Singapuras need meat if you want to avoid your cat getting some of the cat health problems there are. Singapura’s digestive system isn’t designed for foods that humans eat.

He will need high-quality food to ensure his ongoing good health. If you are going to feed your Singapura commercially packaged foods, take a good look at the ingredient list and make sure that meat and protein is at the top of the list.

Always buy age-appropriate food. You can imagine that a tiny kitten’s food requirements will be very different to that of an adult cat.

A kitten will require at least 3 or 4 meals a day. It is always a good idea to consult your vet for suggestions on what brand- and type of food to give your kitten and your adult Singapura.

Grooming is easy for the Serengeti as it is a short-haired cat and will require a brush just once a week. Trimming the claws will also be necessary.

A cat such as the Serengeti has been developed by crossing the domestic cat with a wild breed. This means that there will be concerns with the temperament and behavior of these cats in a home setting. Apart from being allowed indoors, they will need an outside enclosure.

Having a wild side, while every cat is a carnivore, these cats are even more so. Their diet has to be strictly protein – meat. Wild cats would have a diet made up of birds and lizards. You want to avoid commercial cat foods that are of lower quality and have less meat in and more carbohydrates. This just spells ill health for your cat. Cats also need some fresh raw meat in their diets.

It is important to keep up your Serengeti's veterinary checkups to make sure there aren’t any health concerns.