Felians or cat people

A small lithe, people who have cat-like fur, feline features and a tail. These strange beasts have claws on their fingers and toes and are primarily hunters, living in the wilds and preferring hilly country. They are fairly intelligent and very dexterous and are cat like in many ways, yet they can, and often do, walk upright on two legs. They live in large family groups known as prides (like lions). Felians are capable of speech, having their own language that includes a lot of hissing and growling sounds. Some have been known to learn mannish dialects. Generally they are shy of men and avoid contact with civilized peoples.

Cornelius Clifford, at the Sign of the Bucking Dragon