The Kanaani cat originates from Israel and is regarded as part of modern Israeli natural and cultural heritage.
The early development of the breed began in Jerusalem in the early 1990s, where local cats carrying traits of the Felis silvestris lybica population were first identified and selectively bred.
Although not an ancient breed in the formal breeding sense, the Kanaani reflects the natural feline landscape of Israel and represents a unique cultural connection to the region.