The cat breed was named after the land of Canaan, which is now recognized as the area located between the Lebanon and the Sinai Peninsula.

[1] Kanaanis still have wild instincts shared from wildcats, and are a fairly new domesticated cat breed.

[4] The breed is characterized by a muscular and athletic appearance, with short and coarse fur, long legs, small feet, tufted ears and a strong tail.

The facial structure includes large almond-shaped eyes, and ears that are far apart compared to other cat breeds.

Its fur comes in many shades of colors: brown, coffee, cinnamon, with a dotted, striped or marble texture.