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In Loving Memory of Pam DelaBar Sept. 10, 2026

It is with profound sorrow and a sense of immeasurable personal loss that I learned of the sudden passing of Pam DelaBar — a remarkable woman, a distinguished feline expert, a former Chair of the Cat Fanciers’ Association, a devoted advocate for animal welfare, and, above all, a truly exceptional human being and a very dear friend.

On behalf of our organization, and personally as its President, I wish to extend my deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Pam’s family, friends, colleagues, and to the entire international cat community that had the privilege of knowing her.

There are people whose presence in our lives becomes so natural, so familiar and so deeply cherished that it is almost impossible to imagine a world in which we can no longer simply pick up the telephone and hear their voice. For me, Pam was one of those people.

She was a person of rare integrity — kind, honest, principled, generous, and unfailingly sincere. Her extraordinary knowledge was matched by her willingness to share it. I will forever treasure our conversations, everything she taught me, the exhibitions we attended together, the countless hours spent side by side, and those wonderful moments after the shows when professional discussions gave way to friendship, laughter, stories, and the simple pleasure of one another’s company.

I will miss all of it.

I will miss her wisdom and her warmth. I will miss our conversations and her advice. I will miss seeing her at exhibitions and spending time together afterwards. And perhaps most painfully, I will miss knowing that I could simply call her — for a question, for a conversation, or for no particular reason other than the wish to hear the voice of a dear friend.

Pam devoted so much of her life to cats, to the people who love them, and to the protection and welfare of animals. Her contribution to the feline world cannot be measured merely in titles, positions, awards, or years of service. Her true legacy lives in the people she inspired, the knowledge she shared, the standards she upheld, the animals whose lives were made better through her work, and the friendships she created across countries and generations.

To have known Pam was a privilege.

To have learned from her was an honour.

And to have been able to call her my friend is something for which I will remain profoundly grateful for the rest of my life.

Her departure leaves an emptiness that words cannot fill. Yet the warmth, kindness, knowledge and light she gave to others will remain with us.

Dear Pam, you will be deeply, deeply missed.

May your journey be peaceful and filled with light.

Your memory will remain in our hearts, in our work, and in every beautiful moment that reminds us of the extraordinary person we were fortunate enough to know.

With deepest sorrow, respect, and affection,

Prof. Victor Zaalov
WOC President and Board