Rare Jerusalem-Born Kanaani Designated 'Heirs to King Solomon’s Feline Throne'
Haifa, a top-ranked Kanaani cat representing the rare Jerusalem-born breed.
Haya, a top-ranked Kanaani cat representing the rare Jerusalem-born breed.
Official logo of the World Kanaani Organization (WKO).
The rare Jerusalem-born Kanaani connects Jewish tradition, King Solomon’s golden cat, and modern international preservation efforts.
When we crown an animal, we do not diminish humanity — we elevate it. Compassion does not make human beings smaller. It makes humanity greater.”
BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The World Kanaani Organization (TWKO), in association with the Salita Foundation, has announced a new cultural designation recognizing the rare Jerusalem-born Kanaani cat as “Heirs to King Solomon’s Feline Throne.”— Rabbi Mikhail Salita, Founder of TWKO
The designation brings renewed attention to a little-known breed whose modern history began in Jerusalem in the 1990s through the work of Doris Pollatschek. The Kanaani was created with inspiration from the natural appearance of the region’s native cats, while its name reflects Kena’an — Canaan, the ancient name associated with the Land of Israel.
The concept also draws upon Jewish tradition surrounding King Solomon’s throne, which includes the remarkable image of a golden cat among its golden animals. For Rabbi Mikhail Salita, founder of TWKO, that ancient image provides a cultural bridge between the cats of the Land of Israel, Jerusalem, and the modern Kanaani.
“We cannot reconstruct the pedigrees of individual cats that lived three thousand years ago,” Salita said. “But the land remained, the cats remained, and generation followed generation. Three thousand years separate them. The land connects them.”
Jewish sources also preserve an intriguing image of the cat as a quiet protector. In Pesachim 112b, Rav Papa warns that even after a cat kills a snake, dangerous remnants may remain.
Salita interprets the passage as a broader lesson: “Even victory over evil leaves consequences of its own.”
In Eruvin 100b, Rabbi Yohanan teaches that humans could learn modesty from the cat. Salita calls the animal “The Quiet Guardian of the Home” a creature that historically protected human dwellings from rodents and other threats without demanding recognition.
“The lion guards the kingdom; the cat guards the kingdom of the home,” Salita said. “She does her work quietly and asks for neither glory nor reward.”
Today, TWKO is working to preserve and internationally reestablish the exceptionally rare Kanaani, with only seven cats currently forming the active breeding population: Haifa, Arbuz, Layla Yom Tov, Haya, Neshama, Sky, and Sasha. In August 2026, Kanaani cats Haifa and Haya appeared at the WCF Jubilee Show in Vantaa, Finland, and subsequently reached World No. 1 positions among Kanaani in their respective WCF Best Cat 2026 categories.
The organization has also introduced the concept of a Kanaani Royal Family. While all Kanaani may share the symbolic royal heritage expressed by “Heirs to King Solomon’s Feline Throne,” TWKO uses “Royal Family” for the documented family of Kanaani presently under Salita’s custodianship and forming the living nucleus of his preservation program.
For Salita, however, the crown represents responsibility rather than privilege.
“When we crown an animal, we do not diminish humanity — we elevate it. Compassion does not make human beings smaller. It makes humanity greater.”
Salita, an ordained rabbi and animal chaplain, is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at the Graduate Theological Foundation with a focus on Jewish spirituality and animal theology. He also writes under the literary name Rav Papa Kanaani.
TWKO’s international preservation initiative, Kanaani Diplomacy, seeks cooperation among countries, cultural institutions, breeders and animal advocates to establish sustainable populations of the breed.
“The goal is not to keep the Kanaani rare,” Salita said. “The goal is to make sure it survives.”
For TWKO, “Heirs to King Solomon’s Feline Throne” is ultimately about more than royalty or rarity. It is about memory, compassion and humanity’s responsibility toward the living world.
Three thousand years separate them. The land connects them. The legacy endures. The lineage is living. And the story continues.
About The World Kanaani Organization (TWKO)
The World Kanaani Organization (TWKO) is dedicated to the preservation, historical documentation, and international development of the Kanaani cat breed.
Official website: https://twko.org
Rabbi Mikhail Salita
The World Kanaani Organization
press@twko.org
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