Cats tormented relations (9)
I believe the answer is:
orientals
'cats' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'tormented relations' is the wordplay.
'tormented' indicates anagramming the letters.
'relations' with letters rearranged gives 'ORIENTALS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for orientals that I've seen before include "Perhaps Chinese" , "Relations with Easterners" .)