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 Siberian was first accepted for championship competition in CFA in 2006. In 2011, the first Distinguished Merit title earned by a Siberian was a brown mackerel tabby female named GC Sibaris Blestka of Kotchera, DM. To date, there have not been any male Distinguished Merit cats.

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Siberian Distinguished Merit Cats in CFA

Year	Name	Sex	Color
2010-11	GC Sibaris Blestka of Kotchera, DM First Siberian DM	F	Brown McTabby
2012-13	Igrushka Onix Gloria, DM	F	Golden Spotted Tabby
2014-15	GC Sineglazka Yvaine, DM	F	Blue Lynx Point
2015-16	CH Kender's Reluctant Voyager, DM	F	Blue McTabby & White
2016-17	Kender's Briar Rose of Tzigane, DM	F	Calico
	GC, RW Kotchera Beignet, DM	F	Brown McTabby
2019-20	GC Bold Beauty Elisaveta Dosifeevna, DM	F	Brown Tabby
	CH Charodey Moonlite Serenade of Slava, DM	F	Brown Patched Tabby & White
	** GC, BW, RW Jean Sineglaziy Angel of Sineglazka, DM	M	Seal Lynx Point & 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.