>>3825193 (OP)
It depends on the level of anthropomorphization and how they fit in the game world.
A beast like Red XIII should never be more than an animal companion/pet.
A humanoid catrace with paws should never be more than 3rd worlders, second rate citizens and chattel, their lack of opposable thumb and club-handedness means their civilization will struggle with technological innovation and development, from the pen (basic education) to complicated machinery. I consider the Khajit a good example of this.
Humanoid cat people with human hands aren't catfolk, they're humans with animal features, this could be the result of bestiality or the blessing/curse of some deity, but at their core they're humans with animal features, not the other way round.