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 1997, the first Distinguish Merit title earned by a Norwegian Forest Cat was a Silver McTabby & White female, CH Kpojekaat Tressa Skogpus of Koryn, DM. Seven years later, in 2004, the first male Norwegian Forest Cat to earn the Distinguished Merit title was a Blue Tabby & White named GC, RW Fig Piper of Aqua Dolagon, DM.
Norwegian Forest Cat Distinguished Merit Cats in CFA
Year |
Name |
Sex |
Color |
|
1997-98 |
CH Kpojekaat Tressa Skogpus of Koryn , DM First Norwegian Forest Cat DM |
F |
Silver McTabby & White |
|
CH B'ssa Gianina Mia, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
||
1998-99 |
Naturskat Mimi of Kitzn, DM |
F |
Black Smoke & White |
|
1999-00 |
CH Mycoons Tiga of Thorsgard, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby & White |
|
GC, BW B'ssa Ti Ti Tu, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
||
2000-01 |
CH Kitzn's Twyla, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby & White |
|
GC, GP, RW Gra Saltboks Bonnie Dundee of B'ssa, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
||
2001-02 |
CH Norskskogkat I Luv Lucy, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
|
2003-04 |
Angeldee Luna of Aqua Dolagon, DM |
F |
Blue McTabby & White |
|
GC, RW Fig Piper of Aqua Dolagon, DM First Male Norwegian Forest Cat DM |
M |
Blue Tabby & White |
||
2004-05 |
GC, BW, RW Kitzn's Dagwood, DM |
M |
Brown McTabby & White |
|
GC Jotunheim Marilyn Monroe of Kitzn, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
||
2005-06 |
CH Irlu's Alianora Cluvane of Redzone, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
|
CH Norsestar's Ariel of Jotunheim, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby & White |
||
2006-07 |
CH Aamot La Novia of Sakurasaku, DM |
F |
Brown Patched Tabby & White |
|
Hattkatts Siobhan of Vanir, DM |
F |
Brown Patched Tabby & White |
||
CH Kashi Saga Harrigan Thatsme of Irlu, DM |
M |
Red Tabby & White |
||
GC Aqua Dolagon Cassiopeia of Vanir, DM |
F |
Blue Tabby & White |
||
2007-08 |
CH Fig Fly Away Tilly of Nordictale, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby & White |
|
CH, RW Vanir Martina, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby & White |
||
GC, NW Irlu Glendalough Roisin of Redzone, DM |
F |
Brown Patched Tabby & White |
||
2008-09 |
GC, DW Heavenly Joy Av Jostedalsbreen, DM |
F |
Brown Patched Tabby & White |
|
2009-10 |
GC Kitzn's Constant Craving, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
|
2010-11 |
GC, RW Kwill's Brandy Alexander, DM |
M |
Brown McTabby & White |
|
Kitzn Songbird, DM |
F |
Silver McTabby & White |
||
2011-12 |
Kitzn's Blossom Dearie, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
|
Maribell An Serijey of Diamond Dust, DM |
F |
Blue McTabby & White |
||
CH Sverige Sweet Charity of Kitzn, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
||
CH Kwill's Juniper Schnapps, DM |
F |
Brown Patched McTabby/White |
||
2012-13 |
Kitzn's Azalea, DM |
F |
Brown Patched Tabby & White |
|
Vanir Tiga of Russmania, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby & White |
||
GC, DW Purple Rain Blue Tanis of Russmania, DM |
F |
Black & White |
||
GC, DW Sakurasaku Pepelintino of Russmania, DM |
M |
Red Tabby & White |
||
2015-16 |
GC, RW Rukbat Ophelia of Maplekiss, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
|
Sakurasaku Xanadu of Russmania, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
||
CH Wegiekatt Cardinal of Diamond Dust, DM |
M |
Blue Silver Tabby & White |
||
2016-17 |
CH Cherubin's Teresa of Cattopias, DM |
F |
Blue McTabby & White |
|
2018-19 |
CH Cat's Ai Canele of Snow Cats, DM |
F |
Brown McTabby & White |
|
2019-20 |
GC, RW Russmania Melody Fair of Sakurasaku, DM |
F |
Brown Patched Tabby & White |
|
** GC, DW Russmania Dresden Green of Idaman, DM |
M |
Brown McTabby & White |
||
** 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, DW Sakurasaku Amelia Mary Earhart, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby & White |
|
2022-23 |
Russmania Xo !!! of Key Lime, DM |
F |
Brown Tabby & White |
|
GC, BW, RW Sakurasaku Casval of Maplekiss, DM |
M |
Blue Tabby & White |
||