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. The scientific name for the European polecat is Mustela putorius. The steppe polecat is M. eversmanni, and the marbled polecat is Vormela peregusna. Barbara L. Clauson, M.S., Research Associate, Museum of Natural History, Univ. of Kansas. How to cite this article.