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.
The American Bobtail was first accepted for championship competition in CFA in 2006. In 2007, the first Distinguished Merit title earned by a American Bobtail was a Silver Tabby Longhair female named L Bee's Calamity Jane of Nudawnz, DM. 4 years later, in 2011, the first male earned a Distinguished Merit award - a Gold-Eyed White Longhair named GC, GP, BW, NW A Bebop Tail Yeti of Nudawnz, DM.
American Bobtail Distinguished Merit Cats in CFA
Year |
Name |
Sex |
Color |
|
2006-07 |
L Bee's Calamity Jane of Nudawnz, DM First American Bobtail DM |
F |
Silver Tabby LH |
|
2009-10 |
Nudawnz Oops! I Did It Again, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby Docked LH |
|
2010-11 |
GC, GP, BW, NW A Bebop Tail Yeti of Nudawnz, DM First Male American Bobtail DM |
M |
Gold-Eyed White LH |
|
2011-12 |
GC, GP, BW Nudawnz Huntress, DM First Shorthair American Bobtail DM |
F |
Seal Lynx Point SH |
|
2012-13 |
GC, BW, RW Nudawnz Single White Female, DM |
F |
Gold-Eyed White LH |
|
2013-14 |
GP Nudawnz Aurora Borealis, DM |
S |
Gold-Eyed White LH |
|
2014-15 |
GC, BW, NW Nudawnz Yukon Cornelius, DM |
M |
Seal Lynx Point LH |
|
2015-16 |
Nudawnz Moonlight Serenade, DM |
F |
Seal Silver Lynx Point LH |
|
2016-17 |
Shelbie Gold Rush, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby LH |
|
2017-18 |
GC Nudawnz Alaskan Tundra, DM |
F |
Brown Spotted Tabby LH |
|
CH Shelbie Bullet For My Valentine, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby LH |
||
Shelbie's Rosa Blanca, DM |
F |
Blue-Eyed White LH |
||
Attitudeacre The Chocolatier, DM |
M |
Chocolate Spotted Tabby LH |
||
Shelbie Nala Bee, DM |
F |
Silver Spotted Tabby LH |
||
GC, BW Nudawnz The Gnome From Nome, DM |
M |
Copper-Eyed White SH |
||
2018-19 |
Shelbie The Ticked Rose, DM |
F |
Brown Patched Ticked Tabby LH |
|
2019-20 |
Shelbie Chocolatini, DM |
F |
Chocolate Silver McTabby LH |
|
** Taletalkers Pippie Long Tail, DM |
M |
Silver Tabby LH |
||
** NOTE: Effective April 30, 2021, the number of qualifying offspring needed for a male cat to earn his DM title was reduced from 15 to 10. See our DM History article for more details. The cats receiving a retroactive DM award have been added to this list in the show season they would have been awarded their DM title. The cat's name appears on a light gray background. |
||||
2021-22 |
GC, BW, NW Shelbie Magnum Opus of Nudawnz, DM |
M |
Seal Mink Ticked Tabby LH |
|
GC Shelbie's Pyrite, DM |
F |
Brown Spotted Tabby LH |
||
GC Shelbie Artic Willow, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby LH |
||