Were the Eldren cats? Discuss.

The Eldren are cats, and instituted the superstition that you must have a cat aboard every ship (Scientists argue about whether this is to facilitate their travel across the globe, as they cannot swim across oceans in cat form, or whether it is because it will use its alien powers to save your frail mortal vessel from the horrors of the deep.)

Cats-are-Eldren is also why those narrow Elderglass bridges are called catbridges. (Oh my god it was right in front of us the whole time.)