Contemporary ‘Noah’ seeking to protect endangered cat from disappearing

Rabbi Aims to Save Rare Cat Breed

A Brooklyn rabbi named Michael Sarita is on a mission to preserve and promote rare cat breeds, particularly the Kanani. As the brother of former welterweight boxing champion Dmitri Sarita, he has become a passionate advocate for these unique felines. He owns three of the world’s only documented Kanani cats, and he feels a deep “moral and spiritual obligation” towards the breed.

“This is my boat, and I’m trying to save this breed,” he stated. “You won’t find anyone else who has it.”

The Kanani breed, named after the ancient land of Canaan, originated in Jerusalem during the 1990s, thanks to Holocaust survivor and artist Doris Polachek. She created it by crossbreeding a rescued African wildcat with a local feral cat.

Over the past year, Sarita, who is 52, has devoted himself to developing the breed. He describes this endeavor as a way to “strengthen the connection between past and future.”

“In our generation, no one else stands between the Kanani and its extinction. The Kanani is on the verge of extinction. I consider this my rabbinical mission,” he remarked. Sarita is a registered breeder with the World Cat Federation, expressing gratitude for the role he believes he was given.

His three Kanani cats—Haifa, Arbuz, and Laila—are particularly special to him. As a special education teacher, he sometimes walks them outside on his terrace, jokingly likening it to walking a dog.

“What brings me joy is when they rub their noses against me. It’s something I’ve never seen before,” Sarita said, adding that it feels like love. He also described the breed as playful, intelligent, and “talkative,” noting how well they bond with humans.

The Kanani cats are known for their large tufted ears, almond-shaped eyes—green being the preferred color—triangular faces, and slim bodies, all while being hypoallergenic.

“This is the most beautiful cat in the world. If King David were to choose a cat, it would be the Kanani,” Sarita proclaimed. He even hopes that President Trump will consider acquiring this rare breed to help in its conservation.

Sarita asserted that these cats are tied to biblical history, stating, “These cats are from Eden. They’re no ordinary cats. They’re special.”

The Kanani breed was registered with the World Cat Federation in 2000, and although there are a couple of other registries now, the total number of Kanani is still a mystery. While Sarita views the breed as culturally significant, some experts don’t recognize it as a distinct breed.

“The experimental Kanani is registered for tracking purposes only. It is a record of an experiment and we do not recognize it as a breed,” Letty Chavez, a registration supervisor at the International Cat Association, explained.

Due to the breed’s scarcity, Sarita has rejected lucrative offers, some reaching $3,000 per cat. “It’s not about money. We want to find the right people who will help develop this breed, and we should be grateful to them,” he emphasized, refusing to consider sterilizing the breed.