Civet

The Civet is a group of nocturnal animals that include the mongoose.

Not exactly a mongoose, but not exactly a cat, they have very catlike bodies, very long tails and faces that look rather like a weasel.

Their fur is gray or brown and has some patterned markings in several varieties.
All civets have glands that are used to produce scent which is in a pouch near the back end of the animal.

Civet

The scent has a very musk like odor that helps them to mark their territory to keep other civets out, and to lure in females or males as the case may be.

The secretion from the glands is a bright yellow fatty acid which can be used for making perfumes in the industry. It is known in commercial circles as civet.

Sometimes the animals are held captive and the civet is removed from them every two to three weeks.

Civets are also hunted for their fur.

A Civet is a carnivore, it eats primarily meat.

They have dark spots or rings around their tails. The most common and best known is the Indian Civet, which is what is used to make most of the more costly perfumes.

It has tan or tannish red fur, with black spots on it and black or deep brown rings around the tail.

It is about 3 feet long without its tail which adds another twenty odd inches to its length.
About a foot or a bit more at the shoulder, it can weight about twenty five pounds.
The males are slightly larger than the females.

African Civet

Civets breed about once a year, but occasionally they may produce two litters.

Breeding occurs at any time of the year. The females gestate about 60 days, or two months when they from 2 to six babies who are already covered in fur when they are born.

Civets are very private animals and not a lot is known of their mating habits.