Five to eight young are born about 40 days after mating. They leave their mother after three months. When frightened, polecats discharge a strong-smelling fluid from scent glands under the tail. A polecat also uses this fluid to mark its territory, the area it will defend against intrusion from other polecats. A polecat has a long, slender body and short legs, which enable it to chase rodents in burrows.
European polecats have dark outer fur, with lighter colored underfur showing through.
Their fur is marketed under the name fitch. As with all polecat species, females are smaller. Steppe polecats are usually brown or yellowish, with a dark tail and legs. Marbled polecats have a reddish-brown back, with patches of white or yellow. Polecats belong to the family Mustelidae.