Are you sure you're not reading too much into it, Dave? ;)
I always thought "Rats & Cats" was more an affectionate shorthand than a derogatory swipe. For one thing, it's quicker than writing "Solomani and Aslan". Second, it rhymes. Third, it's vaguely accurate - the Solomani are arguably "rats" because of their somewhat fascist government, and the Aslan are "cats" because they're kinda cat-like (and calling them cats annoys the purists, which is always fun ;) ).
Similarly, I think I've heard the Vilani & Vargr referred to as "Cogs & Dogs". All of the reasons I mentioned above apply here too - except that Vilani would be "Cogs" because given their bureaucratic society they can be considered as "cogs in the machine" , and Vargr are "Dogs" for obvious reasons.
I never thought any of that labelling was derogratory at all... (I defnitely don't think it's meant to be a swipe at the product either).
--- In , dcndcn13@... wrote:
>
> Eamon--
>
> I don't mean this as a swipe against you, but you raise an issue I've
> wondered about:
>
> > I think Rats & Cats...
>
> I often wonder from whence comes the hobby's habit to give derogatory > names to the game products out there.