Kanaani cat preservation effort earns London award ahead of Athens show

Rabbi and Animal Chaplain Mikhail Salita has been recognized by the London Book of World Records for his work preserving the rare Kanaani cat breed, with the effort now headed to an international show in Athens on Nov. 28-29, 2026. The milestone links Brooklyn, London and Greece through a preservation campaign built around animal welfare, education and cultural heritage.

Why it matters: - The recognition gives global visibility to a rare-breed preservation effort centered in Brooklyn and tied to Jewish cultural education. - The Athens appearance could broaden interest in the Kanaani breed and support future breeding and preservation work. - The effort also connects animal welfare with cross-cultural outreach, which is central to the mission of the Salita Foundation.

What happened: - Rabbi and Animal Chaplain Mikhail Salita received a London Book of World Records Social Impact Award and entry into its Hall of Fame. - The award recognizes work in rare cat breed preservation, animal welfare and cultural education. - Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso issued a citation on Oct. 29, American National Cat Day, recognizing Salita’s contributions to the Brooklyn community. - Salita also holds a London world record for documenting seven purebred Kanaani cats, described in the award as the largest documented collection of the breed.

The details: - The Kanaani was developed in Jerusalem in the 1990s by Doris Pollatschek. - Rabbi Salita leads an American preservation initiative focused on the breed. - Two American-born Kanaani sisters, Princess Haya and Princess Neshama, are scheduled to compete at the World Cat Federation show in Athens, Greece, on Nov. 28-29, 2026. - Felina Greece is hosting the international show. - The sisters are about nine months old and will compete in the Junior category. - Princess Haya reached No. 1 in the Kanaani Kitten/Junior division in the WCF Best Cat 2026 rankings after her debut in Vantaa, Finland, in August. - The Royal House of Kanaani says the breed’s symbolism draws on the golden cat described on King Solomon’s legendary throne in Targum Sheni to the Book of Esther. - The organization says that literary reference is a cultural symbol, not evidence of direct ancestry between the ancient account and the modern breed. - The Athens trip also reflects long-running Jewish-Greek cultural exchange, including the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. - The Royal House of Kanaani and The World Kanaani Organization operate under Salita Foundation, a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit. - Their mission includes responsible breed preservation, education, the human-animal bond and international cultural cooperation. - The Royal House of Kanaani is a preservation and educational initiative under Salita Foundation based in Brooklyn, New York. - More information is available here.

Between the lines: - The award and the Athens show position the Kanaani effort as both a niche breeding program and a cultural diplomacy project. - The Brooklyn-to-London-to-Athens arc suggests the initiative is using public recognition to build legitimacy around a rare breed with limited global awareness. - Salita’s framing emphasizes heritage and compassion, not just competition results.

What's next: - Princess Haya and Princess Neshama are set to appear at the Athens World Cat Federation show on Nov. 28-29, 2026. - The show will serve as the next test of the sisters’ Junior championship progress. - The broader preservation effort is likely to keep using international cat events to introduce the Kanaani to new audiences and supporters. - Salita Foundation and TWKO will continue the educational and preservation mission behind the breed.