Singapura vs Norwegian Forest Cat - Breed Comparison

The beautiful Norwegian Forest cat has a thick fur to survive the snow and icy weather in Norway. It is the official cat of Norway.

It originated in Northern Europe. It is believed that the cat was brought to Norway from Great Britain way back in the time of the Vikings. It is also believed that it reproduced with farm cats and has become the modern-day Norwegian Forest breed.

They were discovered in the early twentieth century by cat enthusiasts and in 1938 an organization was established devoted to this breed.

Also, a club was started for the cat in Oslo so as to preserve the breed. The 2nd World War saw the cat all but disappear but a breeding program was started. It was registered in Europe by the 1970s, and in 1994 by the American Cat Fanciers Association and others.

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 domestic cat is a natural breed with a thick coat of long water-resistant fur and a woolly undercoat. The coat can be in many colors and patterns.

This is a big, strong, heavy boned cat with a bushy tail and long legs. It’s larger than your regular cat and can weigh anything between 3 and 9kg. The eyes are almond-shaped and can be any color while the large ears are high set.

Temperament:

In spite of this being a large cat, they are energetic and yet they don’t like being around boisterous, energetic pets. They are friendly, calm, gentle, and intelligent and enjoy being part of a human family.

They tend to be a bit reserved around strangers. It’s not a demanding cat and can entertain himself with his toys.

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.

Remember that your large Norwegian Forest cat likes to scratch so you want to provide him with a scratching post. He is so companionable, you want to reward him by ensuring you make his life as easy as possible.

Known as a gentle giant, the beautiful and undemanding Norwegian Forest cat will appreciate a calm household where he can quietly enjoy the companionship of the humans he loves.

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 lifespan of this big, longhaired cat is usually 14 to 16 years, but you need to check out kidney and heart disease with this particular breed as well as patellar luxation.

You don’t want your cat having problems with the knee cap as this takes away from his ability to leap, pounce and crouch. It’s when the patella or kneecap is out of place. There may not necessarily be pain for your pet and in fact, your cat may not show any signs of abnormality till the condition has become quite advanced.

Your cat can actually become lame. You want to avoid this with the Norwegian as it's a particularly good climber.

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.

The Norwegian has a long coat so you will need to brush it at least twice a week to keep it nice and shiny and free from tangles.

Trim your Norwegian forest cat’s claws. You will need a special nail clipper, but if you're nervous to cut the nails yourself, your vet or pet groomers can do it for you.

Cats battle quite a bit with periodontal disease and an excellent diet can help to prevent this. Cats hate you sticking a toothbrush into their mouths – they can become terrified - and it would b kinder to simply have your cat’s teeth checked out at the vet when you suspect that something might be wrong. At the same time, you can ask to have the inside of your cat’s ears checked for dirt and infection.

Keep your cat’s litter box spotlessly clean. These cats dislike a dirty litter box intensely. Remove all feces every single day – more often even if possible.

One good way to select the best food for your cat is to read the ingredients. The first two ingredients listed on the package should always be meat. Select a high-quality cat food. Keeping Norwegian Forest cats in good health requires high-quality cat food to meet all of your Norwegian forest cat’s nutritional needs.

You can feed your Norwegian Forest cat two meals per day. Always check with your veterinarian for a recommendation on how much and what to feed your cat.

Provide a constant supply of fresh, clean water for your Norwegian Forest cat.The bowl should be in an easy place for your cat to reach and in the shade.

Provide your Norwegian with a soft bed in a quiet, restful place.

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.