Perhaps the most coveted title a cat can be awarded in CFA is that of Distinguished Merit or DM.
To be awarded the Distinguished Merit title in CFA, a male cat must sire a minimum of 15 cats who have earned at least one of three titles: Grand Champion, Grand Premier or Distinguished Merit.
A Female DM must have produced 5 or more offspring who earn at least one of these titles.
Regardless of how many titles it earns, an individual cat can count only once towards the DM title of each of its parents.
Often called the "Breeder's" title, the DM represents how well a cat has contributed to the next generation of its breed... and it is the recognition of this impact on future generations that makes this award such a special accomplishment.
In 1990, the first Distinguished Merit title earned by a Tonkinese was a platinum mink female named CH Shotoku Mageia, DM. 2 years later, the first male to earn the Distinguished Merit title was a natural mink Tonkinese named CH Shanfoo's Maxwell Nathan, DM.
Tonkinese Distinguished Merit Cats in CFA
| Year | Name | Sex | Color | |
| 1989-90 | CH Shotoku Mageia, DM First Tonkinese DM |
F | Platinum Mink | |
| 1990-91 | Shermont Bonnie of Sonham, DM | F | Seal Point | |
| 1991-92 | CH Honeypointe Kristabel, DM | F | Champagne Mink | |
| CH Shanfoo's Maxwell Nathan, DM First Male Tonkinese DM |
M | Natural Mink | ||
| 1992-93 | GC, GP, RW Sonham Chat-O Nerf Brut, DM | M | Champagne Mink | |
| GC Sonham Wilhemina of Honeypointe, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| Spielzeit Melasse, DM | F | Sable | ||
| 1993-94 | Honeypointe Tedybeara of Vonkaiser, DM | F | Platinum | |
| GC Laki's Peni Layne of Storeybrook, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC Sonham's Anna Livia of Connacht, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| 1994-95 | GC, RW Connacht's Caramel Quinn, DM | F | Champagne Mink | |
| GC, RW Connacht's Shenanigan, DM | M | Platinum Mink | ||
| Laki's Luke of B4 Kipkat, DM | M | Platinum | ||
| GC, GP Sonham's Emily Jo of Torador, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| 1995-96 | CH B'ssa Janie Lou of Shanfoo, DM | F | Natural Mink | |
| 1996-97 | Toytown's Foxy Lady, DM | F | Champagne Mink | |
| 1997-98 | Beau Chat Chocolate Valentine, DM | F | Champagne Solid | |
| GC, PR B4 Kipkat Kendell of Torador, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC Torador's Portia, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| 1998-99 | GC B4 Kipkat Jesse Justice of Torador, DM | M | Platinum Mink | |
| GC B4 Kipkat Just Us of Seaflower, DM | M | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC, RW Celestecats Jacqueline Rose, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC Klassy's Emerald Rose of Seaflower, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| Sonham's Ciara of Karessence, DM | F | Champagne Point | ||
| CH Storeybrook's Chantilly, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| CH Torador's Justine Case of Seaflower, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| 1999-00 | GC, GP Almondize In Nelle's Memory, DM | F | Champagne Mink | |
| GC Kipkat Nebula Melody, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC Seaflower's Chyna Rose, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC Storeybrook's Little Miss Muffet, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| CH Vonkaiser Platinum Dancer of Myrlyn, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| 2000-01 | Pendragon's Pandora, DM | F | Champagne Point | |
| GC, BW, RW Purrtek's Martini, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC, RW Storeybook's Falkor, DM | M | Champagne Mink | ||
| GC Torador's Panache, DM | M | Champagne Mink | ||
| Toytown's Snow White, DM | F | Platinum Point | ||
| 2001-02 | Almondize Casmir of Pineypaws, DM | F | Platinum Mink | |
| GC Toytown's Lucky Charm, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| Pendragon Misty Snowman, DM | M | Platinum Mink | ||
| 2002-03 | GC, RW Vanwin Forevr Krystal of Karessence, DM | F | Champagne Mink | |
| PR Toytown's Flashback, DM | M | Platinum | ||
| Nierliche Ladybug of Toytown, DM | F | Platinum | ||
| Almondize Roseanna of Purrtek, DM | F | Platinum | ||
| GC Wenlock Cienna Kay, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC, BW, NW Torador's Antigone of Seaflower, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| CH Pendragon Bab-Bee Jane, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| GC Wenlock Cacique, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| CH Angelsheart Sweet Liberty, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| 2003-04 | GC, PR Pendragon Purr-Sephone, DM | F | Champagne Mink | |
| Tinkatonks Chloe of Shanfoo, DM | F | Natural | ||
| GC Shanfoo's Sable of Tinkatonks, DM | F | Natural Mink | ||
| GC, RW Almondize Drakkar of Wenlock, DM | M | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC, RW Kipkat Morning Angel of Wenlock, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC Celestecats American Beauty Rose, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC, RW Pendragon Quest, DM | M | Champagne Mink | ||
| GC, RW Torador's Adonis of Toytown, DM | M | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC Toytown's Cool Jazz, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC, GP, BW, RW Karessence Windsong, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| CH Vanwin Pandora of Angelsheart, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| Torador Mungo Gerry of Chestnutfarm, DM | M | Champagne Point | ||
| Angelsheart Sweetie Peace, DM | F | Champagne Point | ||
| GC Dreamkachers S Bulet of Angelsheart, DM | M | Platinum Mink | ||
| CH Pendragon Sieglinde, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| GC, RW Seaflower's Totts, DM | M | Champagne Mink | ||
| CH Spielzeit Kleine Krise of Shanfoo, DM | M | Platinum Mink | ||
| 2004-05 | CH Lovnpaws Creme Caramel of Cecchetti, DM | F | Champagne Solid | |
| Toytown's Smurfette, DM | F | Blue Point | ||
| GC, PR Opurra's Fanciulla Del West, DM | F | Platinum Point | ||
| Catdancing Gidget, DM | F | Platinum Solid | ||
| CH Seaflower's Dominique Perignon, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| 2005-06 | Sedona Az's Faith of Pendragon, DM | F | Champagne Mink | |
| CH, GP, RW Celestecats China Rose, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| CH Gulfcats Pretty In Pink, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| Karessence Amore Eterno, DM | F | Platinum Point | ||
| GC Angelsheart Quest's Hello Dolly, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
| 2006-07 | GC, RW Wenlock Intrigue, DM | M | Champagne Mink | |
| GC, RW Pendragon Pandora's Ice Crystal, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| 2007-08 | Pendragon Lady-Of-The Lake, DM | F | Champagne Point | |
| Seaflower's Millenium Rose, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| 2008-09 | GC, RW Wenlock Serenade, DM | F | Champagne Mink | |
| 2009-10 | CH Sazikatz Platinum Bell, DM | F | Platinum Point | |
| GC Angelbear's Cassiopeia, DM | F | Platinum Mink | ||
| GC, GP, RW Sazikatz Dasani, DM | M | Platinum Mink | ||
| Amimao's Godiva, DM | F | Champagne Solid | ||
| 2011-11 | GC Angelsheart Windsor Storm, DM | M | Champagne Mink | |
| GC QT-Tonks Isabelle, DM | F | Champagne Mink | ||
