Polecat

Polecat is a common name for several mustelid species in the order Carnivora and subfamilies Ictonychinae^[1] and Mustelinae. Polecats do not form a single taxonomic rank (i.e. clade). The name is applied to several species with broad similarities to European polecats, such as having a dark mask-like marking across the face.

In the United States, the term polecat is sometimes applied to the black-footed ferret, a native member of the Mustelinae. In Southern United States dialect, the term polecat is sometimes used as a colloquial nickname for the skunk, which is part of the family Mephitidae.^[2]

Despite their common name, polecats are related more closely to dogs than to cats.