The Vedala were an ancient felinoid civilization that rarely made contact with other races and cultures. By 2269 they were the oldest spacefaring race known to the United Federation of Planets and appeared to be very advanced in temporal and medical practices, such as being able to manipulate time and cure mental madness. (TAS episode: "The Jihad") The Klingons had dealt with the Vedala through Ambassador Kage at some point prior to 2311. (TLE novel: Serpents Among the Ruins)