civet

—civetlike, adj.

/siv"it/, n.

1. a yellowish, unctuous substance with a strong musklike odor, obtained from a pouch in the genital region of civets and used in perfumery.

2. any catlike, carnivorous mammal of the subfamily Viverrinae, chiefly of southern Asia and Africa, having a coarse-haired, spotted coat, rounded ears, and a narrow muzzle.

3. any of various related or similar animals, as the palm civet.

4. cacomistle.

[1525-35; < MF civette < Catalan civetta Ar zabad civet perfume; see ZIBET]

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Any of 15–20 species of long-bodied, short-legged carnivores (family Viverridae) found in Africa, southern Europe, and Asia.

Catlike in appearance, civets have a thickly furred tail, small ears, and pointed snout. Civets are commonly buff or grayish, with black spots or stripes or both. They range in length from 16 to 34 in. (40–85 cm), excluding the 5–26-in. (13–66-cm) tail, and in weight from 3.3 to 24 lbs (1.5–11 kg). Civets mark territories with a greasy, musklike secretion (called civet) stored in a pouch under the tail; civet is sometimes used in the manufacture of perfumes. Usually solitary, civets feed on small animals and on vegetable matter. Five species are considered in possible danger of extinction.

African palm civet (Nandinia binotata)

Robert C. Hermes from The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers

EB Inc.

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▪ viverrid

also called  civet cat 

  any of a number of long-bodied, short-legged carnivores of the family Viverridae. There are about 15 to 20 species, placed in 10 to 12 genera. Civets are found in Africa, southern Europe, and Asia. Rather catlike in appearance, they have thickly furred tails, small ears, and pointed snouts. The coloration varies widely among the species but commonly is buff or grayish with a pattern of black spots or stripes or both. Length ranges from about 40 to 85 cm (16 to 34 inches), with the tail accounting for another 13 to 66 cm (5 to 26 inches), and weight ranges from 1.5 to 11 kg (3.3 to 24 pounds). The anal glands of civets open under the tail into a large pouch in which a greasy, musklike secretion accumulates. This secretion, known as civet, is used by the animals in marking territories. The secretion of the lesser Oriental civet, or rasse (Viverricula indica), and of the Oriental and African civets (Viverra) is employed commercially in the manufacture of perfume.

      Civets are usually solitary and live in tree hollows, among rocks, and in similar places, coming out to forage at night. Except for the arboreal palm civets, such as Paradoxurus (also known as toddy cat because of its fondness for palm juice, or “toddy”) and Nandinia, civets are mainly terrestrial. The otter civet (Cynogale bennetti), African civet (Viverra, sometimes Civettictis, civetta), and the rare Congo water civet (Osbornictis piscivora) are semiaquatic. Civets feed on small animals and on vegetable matter. Their litters usually consist of two or three young.

      The Red Data Book lists five civets considered to be in possible danger of extinction; among these are the Malagasy civet (Fossa fossa) and the otter civet.

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