I tend to hc pokemon as semi-sentient, really. They are animalistic and often instinctual, yet inteligent enough to have interspecies societies with laws and jurisdiction (trainer roads are pretty much neutral territories where hunting and eating other pokemon or humans is not allowed.) and rules for 'honorable duels' (since pokemon due to nature of their development are battle hounds.).

Yeah, it also differs between the Games and the Anime and I bet also the Manga, so depending on where you want to look for it, you’re gonna find it going different ways. So yeah, Classpecting Pokemon would be like. Trying to Classpect Humanity as a whole. Or the entire people of a Country or Region. Not exactly plausible.