The World’s Rarest Officially Registered Cat Breed
The Kanaani and the Documented Revival by Rabbi Mikhail Salita
Official World Records certifies that the Kanaani is the world’s rarest officially registered cat breed and that Rabbi Mikhail Salita of Brooklyn, New York, USA, is the sole officially registered breeder and custodian responsible for its documented revival, in the establishment of a new Official World Record in the category of World’s Rarest Officially Registered Cat Breed (Kanaani) and Sole Documented Revival Programme Custodianship.
Origins and Heritage of the Kanaani
The Kanaani is an experimental short-haired domestic cat breed originating in Israel, developed from hybrid crossings between domestic cats and the African wildcat (Felis lybica), with domestication and breed development still considered ongoing. Its name derives from the land of Canaan, the ancient designation for the region encompassing present-day Israel and its neighbouring territories and the breed was developed to resemble the native wild steppe cat of that historic region. The German-Israeli artist Doris Pollatschek is recognised as the founder of the Kanaani breed in the 1990s, having developed the foundation stock in Israel from a hybrid cross between a rescued African wildcat and a local domestic stray. Although fully domestic, the Kanaani retains phenotypic similarities to the local wild population of the region.
Breed Characteristics and Appearance
The Kanaani is a medium to large-sized cat of slender, muscular and athletic build, combining strength with an overall elegant appearance. Its body is elongated and well-muscled, with long, slender legs and a long tail that tapers toward the tip. The head forms a broad triangular shape carried on a long, slender neck, with a flat skull between the ears and prominent cheekbones. The ears are large, broad at the base, tapering to the tips, set wide apart and erect, with ear tufts considered desirable.
A characteristic thumbprint marking on the back of the ears is a distinguishing feature of the breed. The eyes are large, almond-shaped and set wide apart with a slight oblique slant, with green as the standard colour in adult cats, though green to yellow is also permitted.
The coat is short, close-lying and has minimal undercoat, with a texture that is relatively coarse rather than soft. The accepted base colours are black (also described as seal or brown), chocolate (also described as coffee) and cinnamon, presented in spotted or blotched tabby patterns. Individual hairs are sufficiently long to display clear ticking in both the ground colour and the pattern. Silver varieties are not permitted under the breed standard. The ticking must be present but must not be so pronounced that it obscures the spotting. The coat colour hues range from beige to cinnamon in the ground colour, overlaid with dark spots in the base colour and softened by ticking.
Behaviour
The Kanaani breed is described as active, energetic, playful and affectionate, whilst also displaying a marked degree of independence. Owing to its recent wild ancestry through the African wildcat lineage, it retains certain behavioural traits associated with wildcats and is regarded as an excellent hunter.
International Registry Status and Recognition
The World Cat Federation (WCF) officially recognised the Kanaani in 2008, making it the first national cat breed formally established in Israel and the WCF remains the only major international registry recognising the Kanaani as a breed as of 2026. In 2010, the WCF permitted only kittens born after 1 January 2008 to be registered as Kanaani if bred from Kanaani parents.
The International Cat Association (TICA) records the Kanaani in its Foundation Registry for tracking purposes only and does not recognise it as a full breed as of 2026. All three foundation cats of the Rav Salita programme, Haifa, Arbuz and Laila, are registered in the TICA Foundation Registry, with Arbuz Of RavSalita recorded under registration number 01T 021624 002, registered 12 December 2025, breed code EXP-XKA-SH-2025, colour Brown (Black) Mackerel Tabby, owner Mikhail and Dmitriy Salita. These registrations reflect the experimental and foundational stage of the breed’s international documentation.
The 2020s Revival Programme and Pedigree Documentation
In the 2020s, Rabbi Mikhail Salita of Brooklyn, New York, USA, undertook a structured programme to revive the nearly extinct Kanaani breed. Operating the WCF-registered Rav Salita cattery (WCF Cattery Registration No. 51640-2025(F), issued 17 November 2025 through the Feline Alliance of Ukraine, club FAU-UA-0163), Rabbi Salita established the sole documented active foundation breeding programme for the Kanaani. As of 2026, only three pedigree-registered Kanaani cats exist in the world, all documented within the Rav Salita programme.
The three foundation cats are named Haifa, Arbuz and Laila. Haifa Kosher Cats, born 7 January 2024, is a female Kanaani (KAN) registered under ARBC experimental pedigree UA*ARBC*00422*17*10*25*RIEX, issued by the Association of Rare Breeds of Cats (ARBC) of Ukraine. Her colour is recorded as Black Spotted Tabby with green eyes, colour code n 24 64, with Mikhail Salita of Brooklyn, New York, USA listed as both breeder and owner. Pedigrees were formally prepared by Dr. Anna Kalinichenko. Arbuz, born 16 February 2024, is a male Kanaani registered in the TICA Foundation Registry as Brown (Black) Mackerel Tabby, owner listed as Mikhail and Dmitriy Salita. Laila, born 4 January 2025, is a female Kanaani recorded as Black Spotted Tabby with green eyes, colour code XSH/KAN n 24 64, with her WCF/FAU pedigree listing Rav Salita Arbuz and Rav Salita Haifa as parents and Mikhail Salita of cattery WCF Rav Salita, Brooklyn, New York, USA as breeder and owner. Laila carries microchip number 900263000527532.
The first modern registrations were initially issued by the Association of Rare Breeds of Cats (ARBC), based on pedigrees prepared by Dr. Anna Kalinichenko. The breed was subsequently entered into the records of Pedigree Club UK, an independent British registry, which recognised the documented lineage. The Feline Alliance of Ukraine (FAU), a club affiliated with the WCF, then registered the Kanaani cats within the WCF registry, restoring the breed’s recognition in a major international cat federation. The documentation establishes a traceable international registry chain from ARBC experimental pedigrees through WCF-affiliated FAU records and into TICA Foundation Registry tracking.
Official World Record Certification
Official World Records has formally certified the Kanaani as the world’s rarest officially registered cat breed and has recognised Rabbi Mikhail Salita of Brooklyn, New York, USA, as the sole officially registered breeder and custodian responsible for its documented revival. This certification is supported by the full international registry documentation trail encompassing ARBC experimental pedigrees, WCF Cattery Registration No. 51640-2025(F), WCF-affiliated FAU registration, TICA Foundation Registry entries for all three foundation cats and Pedigree Club UK records.
The record is established in the category of World’s Rarest Officially Registered Cat Breed (Kanaani) and Sole Documented Revival Programme Custodianship. The preservation initiative represents a unique intersection of animal welfare, cultural heritage and international documentation, carried out in compliance with international registry standards. With Haifa, Arbuz and Laila as the only three pedigree-registered Kanaani cats in the world as of 2026, the continuation of the breed rests entirely on the ongoing stewardship of Rabbi Mikhail Salita and the Rav Salita cattery.