Like the binturong, (we featured last weekt) he genet too belongs to the family of Viverridae and is related to civets and linsangs.

Spotted genet

About eleven species are known and except for the common genet, the rest of the species are exclusively found in Africa. The common genet inhabits Northwest Africa and is widespread in Europe, parts of Middle East and the Balearic Islands.

This superficially cat-like creature, despite its resemblance to the cat, is only a distant relative of the cat. But like the domesticated cat, the genet’s popularity as a pet, especially the common genet and the large-spotted genet, is increasing by the day. One of the main reasons it’s kept as a pet is its curious and playful nature which is similar to that of a kitten, or a domesticated ferret.

If a genet is taken in as a pet when it’s very small, it will form a strong bond with its human owner. It could be carried and petted. But, if it doesn’t like to be restrained at any particular time, it’s virtually impossible to hold it or carry it.

Even if you try to hold on to it by its skin, the genet would try to turn its skin around and escape. Normally it is an inquisitive creature, but its extremely cautious too.

When startled, it darts for cover and sometimes creeps into holes or crevices that are hard for both humans and animals to reach. Even long time pet genets do this when they are frightened.

The genet can creep into small places you may never expect it to go; with its slender and supple body, it can squeeze into any opening large enough for its head to pass through. It is known to bite when cornered or frightened, but not as a means of attack.

Like its cousin, the civet, the genet too has strong musk glands which it uses mainly to mark its territories. In order to spray-mark its territory, the highly agile genet does a hand-stand. It is the only member of the Viverridae family known to stand bipedally.

Well, by looking at the pictures you can see what its physical appearance is like. According to recorded data, in general the genet’s coat (which could differ in colour from species to species), is marked with spots.

The long tail is banded though some species might have uniform coloured tails. About 20 inches in length and weighing around 4-5 pounds, the genet has large, round eyes and a small head with triangular shaped large ears.

The body is slender and long, but legs are rather short. Both front and hind legs have five digits and well furred soles. When frightened it springs up a mane of hair along its back.

The genet has semi-retractable (could be partly taken back) claws, but it does not use them as weapons when fighting its enemies. Instead they are used exclusively for climbing trees and holding down prey while it administers a bite on the neck.

Even though the genet is known to be nocturnal it has been spotted even during day time in varying seasons. It is also classified as an arboreal (tree dwelling) animal, but when hunting for prey it spends time on the ground. It climbs trees to hunt nesting or roosting birds.

The genet s a solitary animal and does not socialise with other genets except during the breeding season or when with young. A female gives birth to between two to four kittens, twice a year.

The young are born in a burrow. The eyes and ears are shut at birth and open only after 10 days. They are introduced to solids at six weeks, even though they are nursed by the mother for much longer. Maturity is reached at two years.

Some researchers class the genet as a carnivorous animal despite studies showing the animal’s tendency to eat what is available when food is scarce. Its diet therefore includes various fruits, small mammals like bats, rodents and squirrels, birds and their eggs, frogs, milli/centipedes and even scorpions.

Would you believe that this cat-like animal, though not a true cat, makes sounds similar to those of a cat? It can mew and purr and also hiss and spit. However when distressed it makes a churning sound which is not cat-like at all!

Two hand made images of Rusty spotted genet(above) and Abyssinian genet(left).

The 11 species of genets include the Abyssinian genet, Angolan genet, Common genet, Panther genet, Aquatic genet, Servaline genet, Pardine genet, Large spotted genet and Giant genet. The Crested genet is believed to be a subspecies of the Servaline by some researchers.

The Angolan genet has reddish grey to dark grey fur with small brownish black spots on its body and stripes on its tail which is more thickly furred than in other genets.The muzzle or snout is black with a white line around the eyes and mouth.

It has a dark stripe on the dorsal starting from the base of the skull up to the tail. About five rows of elongated spots or stripes run down the side of the neck. Melanistic (completely black) individuals are also known to exist in this species.

The spinal mane is about two inches in length. The Angolan weighs between 2.2-4.4 lbs (1.2 kg).The Common genet (the most far ranging among the 11 species) which is also known as the European genet or Small spotted genet has a pale grey and black spotted coat, when an adult, while as a juvenile it has a darker coat.

According to researchers there are about 30 subspecies of the Common genet. The Panther genet, also known as the Rusty-spotted genet and Forest genet, is reported to be widespread throughout the sub-saharan Africa and is primarily a fruigivore (fruit eating).

The Large spotted genet which is very similar to the Common genet is said to have yellow white or grey coloured coat with rust or black coloured rosset’s and black and white rings as the tail. It is also known as the Rusty spotted genet.

The Aquatic genet is very striking with a plain rusty to red coloured coat, black tail and white elongated spots between its eyes.

It feeds primarily on fish which it attracts by gently tapping the surface of the water in the streams found in the rainforests it inhabits. It places its whiskers against the surface of the water to detect the movement of fish underwater and dives in, the moment it detects the prey.

But strangely it’s not a good swimmer. This carnivorous genet is found mostly in north-east Zaire.