Thai vs Singapura - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

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.

The Thai cat is also referred to as the Wichien Maat. It is an old cat breed descended from the cats of Thailand.

The Wichienmaat is a cat that was spoken of already centuries ago in a book. Over the years, the cat has remained much the same as its original breeding. Today this cat is popular in Thailand.

It was in the late 1800s that the Wichienmaat was imported to the West by British cat breeders, and the cats became known as ‘Siamese’.

Western breeders wanted to add in some other qualities to the cat and through selective breeding, they developed a finer-boned type of Siamese cat. Today some people refer to these cats as Old-Style Siamese, while others refer to them as Thais, but they are one and the same.

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.

The Thai is a short-haired, glossy cat and comes in a variety of colors but no white.

The soft, silky fur is a warm cream shade, much like the Siamese, with dark brown, black, smoky colored extremities.

The Thai is considered to be a medium-sized cat and he will weigh between 3 an 6kg. The body is lean, slender and muscular, the ears medium size with rounded tips and set wide apart. The eyes are are beautiful blue, large and slightly slanted.

Temperament

Thai cats are curious, active, and intelligent. They are also social and vocal and are able to communicate to their human owners what they want.

They thrive on getting lots of attention from their humans and will even follow them around the house. They do well with children in the home when the children have been taught to be kind and respectful to animals.

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 Thai cat is social and friendly and enjoys time spent with his human family. They don’t like to be left alone for long periods of time and it just might be a good idea to have a feline friend for this cat.

He is also a vocal cat and lets you know his feelings and certainly when he wants his food. The Thai wants to be your friend and companion and he will thrive in any kind of home when he is made to feel important and loved.

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.

These cats are known for their good health. Just because he is considered healthy, you can't ignore looking out for signs that he may be in distress.

There are actually a whole lot of common cat illnesses your cat could succumb to, so you want to be sure you recognize some of the signs such a vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and battling to urinate. Make sure that the eyes are always bright and clear and that he is his active self.

Have your Thai cat vaccinated against the deadly cat diseases that there are. You will also need to have your cat dewormed. Speak to your vet about the best way to prevent fleas.

Have your cat spayed or neutered to prevent unwanted kittens.

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.

You’ll see your Thai cat preening and grooming, but he will still need to have the silky coat brushed gently to keep it shiny and healthy.

The brushing will make him happy as he just loves the attention, and it is good for the cat’s fur – to remove dust and loose hairs.

Make sure to visit your vet if you suspect that your Thai cat is ill.

Your Thai cat is a scratcher just like any other cat, and if you don’t want to have your furniture scratch, invest in a scratching post.

Examine the inside of your cat’s ears to make sure they are clear of dirt and wax that could cause infection.

Some people say you should brush your cat’s teeth, but this can be too traumatic for your cat. Pets have always done well without their teeth being brushed. It can frighten your cat so much, he’ll want to scratch you.

Your Thai is an active, energetic cat, and you will want to provide him with a cat tree for climbing.

Provide your cat with feeding- and drinking bowls, litter box, warm, soft bed and toys to keep him occupied. It is always a good idea to put a collar on your pet and an ID disc in case he runs away.