 "Strakh" serves as almost a sort of currency or favour system, since they do not use money in their culture.For example, if the Patriarch gets meat from a seller's market stand, the seller gains considerable "strakh", which will bring honour to the seller allowing him to get better customers, in turn leading to more "strakh", giving the seller a higher status within the community.Once Kzinti gained access to genetic-manipulation technology, they started manipulating themselves in order to bring out the most "heroic" qualities and recede undesired ones.