Two Kanaani Cats, Four Nations, One Historic Record: Haifa and Haya Make History for Ukraine!

New York City, New York Sep 11, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Haifa and her daughter Haya, two cats from the rare Israeli Kanaani breed, have transformed a single cat show into an international milestone connecting Israel, the United States, Finland and Ukraine.

The historic achievement took place on August 8-9, 2026, at the World Cat Federation Jubilee Show in Vantaa, Finland. Following the conclusion of the two-day official show, both cats received WCF Best Cat ranking points and simultaneously reached world No. 1 positions within the Kanaani breed in two different WCF Best Cat 2026 categories.

Haifa became the world's No. 1-ranked adult Kanaani, while Haya became the world's No. 1-ranked Kanaani kitten/junior. The official record date is August 9, 2026.

The international organization Record Holders Republic (RHR) officially recognized the achievement as a world record for the greatest number of cats within one breed to simultaneously reach world No. 1 positions in different WCF Best Cat categories following one show. The official result is two cats.

The Unified Database of Records of Ukraine subsequently conducted an independent review and registered the same achievement as a Record of Ukraine under number AQ6013BR.

Both Haifa and Haya are registered in the WCF system through the Ukrainian club Feline Alliance of Ukraine. Their appearance in Finland also marked the first documented participation of the Kanaani breed in an official competitive cat show.

The official record holder and custodian of the cats is Animal Chaplain and Rabbi Mikhail Salita, an Odesa-born Ukrainian American who is leading an international effort to preserve and revive the Kanaani breed.

"Haifa and Haya are more than show cats--they are ambassadors for a rare breed and an example of what responsible human-animal partnership can achieve," Salita said. "Their story demonstrates how respect for animals and international cooperation can bring countries together and create history."

Each of the four nations played a distinct role in the achievement: the Kanaani breed originated in Israel; its international revival program is being developed in the United States; the record was achieved in Finland; and Ukraine provided both the cats' WCF registration pathway and independent national recognition of the achievement.

Salita calls this international connection "Kanaani diplomacy"--a growing collaboration among people, clubs and organizations united by the preservation of one of the world's rarest cat breeds.

Through The World Kanaani Organization, Salita is working to expand international awareness of the breed, establish a sustainable breeding population and introduce the Kanaani to new audiences around the world.

Official Record Verification

Record Holders Republic (RHR) -- Official World Record:
https://www.recordholdersrepublic.co.uk/world-record-holders/1754/mikhail-salita.aspx

Unified Database of Records of Ukraine -- Record No. AQ6013BR:
https://ukrainerecords.com/rekord-ukrayiny-naq6013/

The World Kanaani Organization: https://twko.org

Media Contact

The World Kanaani Organization

[email protected]

https://twko.org/