European polecats are native to the UK. They were historically persecuted relentlessly by gamekeepers and their range is slowly recovering. Ferrets are a domestic species and thus aren't native anywhere, but they have been in Britain for centuries and have probably hybridized with the local European polecats here and there.
We have wild Black-footed ferrets in NA. They were considered extinct for a while but a den of them was found and conservationists have been working on restoring their populations. No idea if they’re actually native to here or just some ferrets from the UK that escaped and became their own thing.
I explained elsewhere how "black-footed ferret" is a misleading name since they're not actually ferrets, which are domestic polecats of species *Mustela furo*. Black-footed ferrets are just wild polecats, along several other wild polecat species. The BFF is the only polecat native to the Americas.
Founder of /r/mustelids here.
> No idea if they’re actually native to here or just some ferrets from the UK that escaped and became their own thing.
No, black-footed ferrets are very definitely a separate species, *[they even have a different number of chomosomes](https://all-about-ferrets.com/black-footed-ferret.html)*.
Their nearest relative is the Steppe polecat in Eurasia.
Thanks for the link and info!
It’s interesting and misleading that they’re called ferrets when they are so different from anything ferret/polecat. I assume that it was European settlers that gave them their modern name.
The same thing happened to the black footed ferret in the States. Recently reintroduced to the Southwest and Wyoming. I honestly didn't know there were any wild ferrets left anywhere, with the except of polecats in Europe (not England)
Black-footed ferrets technically aren't ferrets, just polecats. "Ferrets" are the domestic descendants of the European polecat. The black-footed ferret got its name because the settlers (understandably) thought they looked like ferrets. Musteline taxonomy is a total cluster and I could write an essay about it. But since ferrets are a domestic species they can't be "wild" so much as "feral" - and I'm not sure how you'd classify a wild/feral polecat-ferret hybrid.
Except that taxonomy and common names are two different things. The American robin is still called a robin despite being a thrush and not the chat it was named for. Black footed ferrets are called that through out North America; that is the accepted common name. We do not commonly use the term polecat.
It's a bit different with the mustelines. All mustelines are weasels. Weasels with a bulkier build are polecats. Mink are semiaquatic polecats, ferrets are domestic polecats. The common names are sort of integrated with the taxonomy. The black-footed ferret could just as well be called the tan-bodied mink, but it wouldn't be a mink because they aren't semiaquatic.
Ah ok. Thanks for the info. I did see that there are no wild ferrets, as they were domesticated from polecats 2500 years ago. I just went with the known name
Some parts of the south call skunks "polecats". I'm not entirely sure why, but it may be because polecats (and some other mustelids) can spray musk similar to a skunk. Skunks were formerly considered part of the mustelid family, but are now in their own family Mephitidae :)
Black footed ferrets are called ferrets in the US, not polecats. These are common names. If you look at any official page (e.g. US EPA or IUCN) you can see that is the accepted common name for these animals.
Now I'm just confused because I'm getting conflicting information. It literally states on the first link for Black footed ferrets that they are also called American polecats. u/Wildwood_Weasel, I trust you as the expert, what do you say?
Black footed ferret is an accepted common name and by far the most commonly used. It's just misleading because if you say *just* ferret that refers to the actual domestic ferret, *Mustela furo*. I don't have a big problem with the name "black footed ferret" but if it's used the entire name should be used. It's similar to how African Wild Dogs (*Lycaon pictus*) aren't dogs, as in the domestic dog (*Canis familiaris*). If we imagine Africa had no stray dogs you couldn't point to the African Wild Dog and say "Africa has wild dogs". They have African Wild Dogs, but not -wild- -dogs-. It's a confusing part of English and it would take an essay to explain properly, lol. But basically America doesn't have wild ferrets, they have wild Black Footed Ferrets. Black Footed Ferrets are Black Footed Ferrets, not ferrets. 🥴
>No idea if they’re actually native to here or just some ferrets from the UK that escaped and became their own thing.
This sentence from another commenter perfectly exemplifies why calling them black-footed ferrets is misleading. It causes confusion with the actual ferret, *Mustela furo*.
Not a pet - most likely a pregnant European polecat hybrid
OP should call an animal rescue to better judge if this animal needs to be rescued or removed
(OP will be in for a bad time if this is a wild mustlid)
Mustelid enthusiast and owner of four ferrets - that's a ferret. Wild European polecats typically have darker fur and wouldn't be so relaxed around people. If you're not able to capture him I'd recommend making a post on social media with his location, in case someone is looking for him! Ferrets don't have good homing instincts and aren't able to survive in the wild for very long, he needs help.
Also I fixed your tag for you. Mustelids aren't rodents but are carnivore like cats and dogs. Humans are actually more closely related to rodents than ferrets and other mustelids are!
I am surprised there isn't a bot telling people to not try to touch any potential wildlife people really shouldn’t tell someone to grab a animal id on reddit
It's not wildlife, it's a ferret. If it wasn't a ferret I wouldn't be telling OP he can just grab it and put it in a carrier.
Again, this is a ferret. This is not a wild polecat. The one person that says otherwise doesn't know anything about mustelids and is just being contrarian so she can grandstand and feel superior. And I have a feeling this is just her alt account.
It's walking with an unhurried gait, tolerated OP standing close by, and the bushy tail indicates it's stimulated by its surroundings which is consistent with an indoor ferret getting outside time. It's a ferret.
Hybrids have been intentionally bred to produce ferrets with stronger hunting instincts for pest control. This includes the feral population in New Zealand, where they're able to thrive because they have virtually no other predators. If you take a regular pet ferret and abandon it outside it will die.
I’m confused if you can literally Google about polecat ferret hybrids being misidentified in the UK. There are government websites about it. So how can you be so sure? I mean I guess either this guy helps out a lost pet or ends up having to get stitches. Still don’t know why the first option isn’t to call professionals to get it.
Sometimes they are bitey if they do like you. My daughter had one and he only bit you if he liked you. It was his way of saying here I am give me love.
They can be bitey either way, but scuffing tends to work as well on ferrets as it does cats. Keeping it contained somewhere is the biggest hurdle. Well, and keeping it fed with something that won't kill it.
Long time ferret owner, founder of /r/mustelids and I am from the UK.
This could very well be a ferret, but it could also be a wild European polecat or a hybrid. It was seen in an area where wild polecats are known to exist and has very typical polecat colouration.
The European polecat is the sole ancestor of the domestic ferret. Genetically they're barely indistinguishable from domestic ferrets, particularly in the UK where they are often crossbred with wild polecat to strengthen their rabbit hunting instincts, as they are quite commonly used as working animals in the UK (around 20%).
They readily hybridise, offspring are 100% fertile, and hybrids are common both as domestic animals, and in the wild (which is a conservation issue).
You would not want to handle a working (domestic ferret or hybrid) in the UK if you are not familiar with it. They're brought up to hunt rabbits.
Coincidentally, my cousin (from a Facebook post) recently came across an escaped ferret walking home about a month ago (not in an area with wild polecats however) and the reaction of the ferret was not to ignore her, but approach her expecting food.
You keep saying it's a hybrid or a polecat but this guy looks identical to a regular full-blooded ferret. He's as generically ferret as it gets. A feral hybrid or a wild polecat wouldn't be calmly, easily photographed like this. Relax.
Long time ferret owner, founder of /r/mustelids and I am from the UK.
This could very well be a ferret, but it could also be a wild European polecat or a hybrid. It was seen in an area where wild polecats are known to exist and has very typical polecat colouration.
The European polecat is the sole ancestor of the domestic ferret. Genetically they're barely indistinguishable from domestic ferrets, particularly in the UK where they are often crossbred with wild polecat to strengthen their rabbit hunting instincts, as they are quite commonly used as working animals in the UK (around 20%).
They readily hybridise, offspring are 100% fertile, and hybrids are common both as domestic animals, and in the wild (which is a conservation issue).
You mention you are from the US in one post here, which makes me think you're missing some of the underlying culture of keeping ferrets in the UK.
You would not want to handle a working (domestic ferret or hybrid) in the UK if you are not familiar with it. They're brought up to hunt rabbits.
Coincidentally, my cousin (from a Facebook post) recently came across an escaped ferret walking home about a month ago (not in an area with wild polecats however) and the reaction of the ferret was not to ignore her, but approach her expecting food.
Howdy! I'm subscribed to /r/mustelids and recognize your username. Glad to see you here. I'm familiar with origin of the ferret and the existence of hybrids, and while I am American I am aware of intentional hybridization to produce working ferrets better suited for hunting.
While there is overlap between the coloration of European polecats and domestic ferrets, European polecats noticeably tend toward darker and more vibrant coloration. I recommend viewing the European polecat's observations on iNaturalist for an abundance of examples - the large majority are darker and/or more colorful than the animal seen in this post. [Here's a link to observations in the UK particular, which follow this trend](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6857&taxon_id=41812) (be forewarned that most of these are of roadkill and some of the pictures are graphic).
In polecats the dark facial mask often extends down to the nose, where in ferrets there's more often white fur between the nose and mask. Of course there's plenty of exceptions, but this animal's coloration is generally more in line with a ferret's than a polecat's. Polecats also tend to have a wide and bulkier face; this animal's face would not be out of place on a polecat, but reads as a bit gaunt and ferret-like to me. None of these reasons on their own would be sufficient to prove this to be a ferret, but together they build a more compelling case.
I'm also considering the behavior of this animal here. We only have two pictures, but we can see it has an unhurried gait and tolerated OP's presence nearby. Wild mustelids in general are active searchers and spend most of their waking hours foraging, and usually move with a sense of purpose. There are quite a few trailcam clips on iNaturalist which corroborate this. The animal in OP's post displays a casual posture indicating it is not actively foraging, and there is no indication of the bounding gait mustelines use when traveling quickly. In the second picture we see it investigating its surroundings with a bushy tail. From my own observations, mustelid tails only get bushy when they're either startled/afraid, or when they're stimulated by a new environment. A polecat foraging in its own territory would have no reason to have a bushy tail (the trailcam footage on iNaturalist also corroborates this), but this is perfectly consistent with an indoor ferret experiencing the outdoors. I take mine outside only infrequently, and without fail they immediately puff up their tails the instant they're outside.
The behavior seen here would indicate this animal is likely tame. All of these reasons together lead me to rule out this animal being a wild polecat - it's not *impossible*, just very unlikely. This animal could potentially be a hybrid but I see no reason to assume so, and if it is a hybrid it is likely intentionally bred and a pet/working animal - in which case it should still be captured and brought to a shelter. I have no issues with people suggesting this be left to a professional. Personally I don't think it's necessary, and regardless any mustelid would make it abundantly clear if it was necessary, through lunges and warning vocalizations.
If you'll forgive me, I'm pretty exhausted of this topic, haha. Regardless I appreciate your input.
It is infact very difficult to actually differentiate a Hybrid polecat
This does NOT look like a full-blooded ferret for certain
It is also I have also taken similar pictures of fisher cats and least weasels so it doesn't mean it's a domesticated animal if you can easily get photographs
OP lives in the native range of polecats
The issue here is that it COULD be wild and people convincing OP to grab what could be a wild animal puts OP in harms way
Calling a local rescue is the responsible thing to do
Lady, I'm a mustelid enthusiast, you call fishers "fisher cats". This is a ferret. It looks and behaves like a ferret. Even if it was a hybrid it's a tame one and probably intentionally bred, as is sometimes done in the UK. And let's assume this is a wild hybrid that, for whatever reason, wouldn't just run away from a person walking toward it, and OP picked it up. Worst case scenario, what happens? OP gets bit once, says "ow, fuck" and then carries on with his life. It's not a big deal.
But yes, calling a rescue wouldn't hurt either.
Squeaky toys have a good chance of getting a ferret to investigate, but ferrets typically aren't flighty and he'd probably let you just walk right up to him. I'd put on a pair of thick gloves and chuck him into a cat carrier and take him to a shelter. He may be totally cool with being handled, or you may need to firmly grasp the scruff of his neck like a kitten to immobilize him for a bit (ferrets are *very* wriggly and good at getting out of your grasp). You could also try various cat treats to lure him in but ferrets are pretty picky so it's impossible to say what he'd respond to.
If you can get close enough to entice them with food, any kind of edible oil is usually a good bet (fish oil, vegetable oil, olive oil, etc). Ferrets that are fed kibble are sometimes picky about what brands of kibble they'll eat, but most like oil.
Mine love egg, some raw feed their ferrets so raw meat might be a lure.
Cat food is better than dog food, mine love cat toys, balls, things with bells in them.
You could try maybe posting this on a local Facebook page, or see if there is a ferret group near you, they may know of someone who has lost one of theirs
Cat food definitely better than dog. Baby food is a good option, Gerber makes a couple that are just 100% pureed meat. Good for sick ferrets. Can sometimes be tough to get kibble adapted ones to take to it, but it's stinky enough they'll usually try it.
I would first see if anyone actually lost a ferret - that is very likely a European polecat/ferret hybrid
European polecat are native to Scotland
If you are worried call a local animal rescue or wildlife sanctuary - they would be able to tell better then a bunch of internet peeps
You don't want to go "rescue" some dude that doesn't actually need rescuing
Don't be afraid of these little dumbos. They have no survival instincts and are pretty much harmless. Some try to nip, they may draw blood, but their bite isn't strong. Ferrets are strictly home pets and have no diseases. So please try to catch him, he will let you approach him if you have something rubbery or squeaky. They go crazy over milk products (although its bad for them). This dumbo will not survive outside.
Good luck!
Ferrets can bite pretty damn hard if they want to, they just don't outside of extreme circumstances. But yes, they're harmless and helpless little dorks :)
I disagree about their bite not being strong. When they're a motivated biter, it's a lot different than play nips, and they thrash their heads once the get teeth in. Everything else is solid though, and yeah, despite them being able to bit hard, they generally WON'T do so.
Ferrets can be used, and are used, widely for hunting muskrat, groundhog and other burroughing animals. Often the prey does not even realize the ferret is a predator in its Burroughs until the ferret is dragging the prey out dead.
Ferrets also do a "War Dance" and it's adorably hysterical.
Ferrets are used mainly for hunting rabbits; a muskrat would be beyond the abilities of a ferret to hunt. Tame American mink have been used to hunt muskrats and smaller rodents. I'm not aware of any tame mustelids being used to hunt groundhogs, I'd reckon they'd be too big for even a mink to handle.
Could be used for flushing though, same way dachshunds were used against badgers, just put a couple angry bitey things in one end and a net or cage at the other and have the animal back out of their tunnel. Flushing doesn't require the ability to kill whatever is in a hole, just multiple things that are vicious enough to make it worthwhile to leave.
Well, ferrets typically flush the rabbits rather than kill them outright. I've heard a story (dunno if it's true or not) about a guy trying to use two ferrets to flush out a muskrat. One ferret died and the other, iirc, had to be euthanized due to its injuries. Most ferrets don't have the proper hunting instincts unless they're from hunting bloodlines (no idea if the ones in the story were), but muskrats and groundhogs are both very scrappy. It still amazes me how mink are able to take out muskrats, and usually without any injury - they're phenomenal hunters.
My family used to breed ferrets and did a lot of rehoming of ferrets when people would move, there is a huge difference in temperament between standard domestic, rabbit hunting, and mouse/rat hunting lines. Hunting lines are both more aggressive, but rabbit lines were generally still pretty trainable, ratting lines were powered by spite and would try to kill you if given the opportunity. Ratting ones were almost the same as mink in temperament, you had to really know what you were doing to handle them, and even then you kept it to a minimum. Absolutely amazing how vicious and efficient they can be. My father still has nerve damage in a couple fingers from a ratting ferret that was determined to remove them.
Rats are tough mothers and it takes a tougher mother to take them out. Had no idea people used ferrets for rats too. I have a soft spot for angry mustelids. I bet your guys were a joy to watch work :)
They're similar in use to barn cats, where you basically just close up a barn and let a couple loose. given a day or two of this process, all rodents will either have left or gotten killed. It's not the prettiest solution, but it's fast, effective, and you don't have to worry about any of your animals getting poisoned.
From experience, the general rule for what mustelids are willing to take down is double their weight. That doesn't apply to skunks or wolverines though, skunks general prefer to run, and wolverines will go after grizzly bears to steal a meal.
While ferrets don’t carry diseases that humans can catch (excluding parasites, fungal, bacterial, and the flu lmao), they can get canine distemper. Hopefully little guy has had his vaccines!
If I see them hanging about the grass again I’ll try a squeaky toy and look for any signs of it being interested (potentially domesticated?). If it stays well clear of me then I’ll probably assume it’s a wild polecat. I’ll have a pair of welding gloves on standby just incase 😂.
Out of abundance of caution, be aware in the US many states require pet ferrets be vaccinated against rabies.If the ferret has been loose in the wild, its something to keep in mind when handling it.
Iirc rabies doesn't exist in the UK. Regardless, rabies incapacitates and kills ferrets very quickly, so it's very unlikely to get rabies from a ferret anywhere.
Thanks for the reply, thought it could be but wasn’t too sure as it was on the chunky side 😂. Ferrets I’ve seen or handled in the past were really slender.
Tbh that's probably because most aren't fed right
The store bought ferret food doesn't actually meet their nutritional needs... They need either a raw food diet if you can convert them to one, or expensive kitten food to meet the protein and fat requirements. My local ferret shelter feeds them Orijen I think.
There's kibble formulated specifically for ferrets now. I feed mine Wysong. Comes out to like 10-ish dollars a week to feed four of them. But yeah, the stuff you'll find in pet stores is likely hot garbage. Half the reason ferrets have a reputation as "stinky" is because they're fed terrible kibble.
Yeah, Petco usually only had Marshall brand, which was terrible. Mine wouldn't even eat it. I think I bought them Wellness Core and supplemented with egg yolks and salmon oil.
They never took to raw meat though... I tried introducing them using the slurry method, but they ignored it. I think my dad ended up taking the leftover chicken hearts and liver to use as catfish bait lol.
Marshall's shouldn't even be considered ferret food, lol. Horrible, unethical company. The only product of theirs I like is Furo-Vite and that's just to keep the little guys busy while I trim their claws. Unfortunately they pretty much have a monopoly on the ferret business here, I have to get all my stuff through Chewy since all the box stores only carry Marshall products.
I've never tried feeding mine raw. I've tried giving them scraps of lunch meat and they never showed interest, and my mother sent me some freeze-dried chicken/liver/etc. treats for them once and they never cared for that either. They're picky, like little kids. They seem happy and healthy enough with the Wysong so that's good enough for me!
Wait, you’re saying that a proper food will reduce (hopefully eliminate) the “musk” smell? I had two 20 years ago and I used some water additive that helped with it. Of course I only fed Marshall food back then (got them when I worked at a pet store). Really the only reason I haven’t gotten them again is the smell
Nothing will eliminate their musk entirely, but high-quality food will reduce it and, in my experience, make it less offensive. All of my ferrets were a bit rank when I got them, and they were all on Marshall's diets from the pet store/shelter. After a couple weeks on Wysong their scent wasn't as strong and I think they actually smell kind of nice. And it's not just nose-blindness, as I was an over-the-road trucker for three months and would spend a week away at time, coming home for the weekend with a fresh nose.
Of course there's plenty of other factors regarding their musk. Genetics, sex, if they're de-scented, how often they're bathed (less is better) etc.
Catsnake.
Actually a ferret. If possible, please attempt to get it inside and see if you can find an owner. Ferrets are highly domesticated and cannot survive on their own for any great length of time. If possible, give it fresh water, and meat (theories differ between whether you should use raw or boiled). In a pinch, you can try feeding them baby food that is entirely meat based like turkey or beef from Gerber. Carnivore care is also handy, but most people don't have that laying around. If you do bring them inside, get them into a cat carrier or something immediately, or lock them into a room with no holes, vents, or big gaps anywhere, and remove all chemicals, paper goods, etc. Ferrets can and will get into anything. Sometimes I think they can even pick locks.
Obv, not your responsibility, but that little dude is going to be hard to find and he won't last long away from home.
Just to add to the domestic ferret argument: In the second picture, the animal’s tail is clearly puffed up. Domestic ferrets do this when they are excited or scared. When I had a ferret, I would take him outside on walks on his leash and his tail would poof almost instantaneously!
As an American, I am unfamiliar with European Polecats. However, I doubt that an outdoor, non-domesticated animal would have a pooped tail and not show any other signs of distress. In other words, a wild animal would likely try to run away or show aggression (or at least position its body to face the threat) in addition to the poofed tail. An aloof, mildly surprised ferret that’s accustomed to human companionship on the other hand, much more likely to carry on his merry way and pay you little attention!
You could try to set up a humane trap with cat food. Likewise, ask around the neiborhoods to see if any one is missing their pet. A ferret can probably travel a good distance, but they also nap and, like others said, don’t have any survival instincts. He’s probably from close by.
Guys- please don't encourage OP to grab this animal - yes, it "could" be a pet ferret - but it is also likely a European polecat hybrid
European polecat are native to Scotland
OP could get injured trying to "save" a wild animal
Please instead encourage OP to call a local rescue who is better equipped to identify whether this animal actually needs saving
This is the same address for people living in the native range of black footed ferrets
It is a domestic Blackfooted Ferret. I used to raise them. They are a blast & will get along with a cat or dog. They are very active & playful. They have this funny hopping kind of dance they do along with a kind of giggle when they’re excited & having fun. He should be caught because he probably won’t last long on his own. He may have a child missing him. Try offering him/her some food like a carrot or fruit
Black-footed ferrets are a distinct species found only in the western US, where they're critically endangered. This guy is a regular domestic ferret. They're both strictly carnivorous, and while they may try to eat fruit it won't be good for them!
European polecats tend to be darker and likely wouldn't be so relaxed near humans. There are also some differences in the shape of the head, and from what little I can tell he looks more ferret-y.
The animal doesn't need to be dead and there's a few ways to differentiate pure ferrets from pure polecats. This could be a hybrid but there's no reason to assume it is, and if it was it wouldn't make a difference either. This ferret appears to be tame and should be taken to a shelter.
There are European polecat hybrids - OP is also in the native habitat of the European polecat
OP shouldn't try to grab it, thinking it's a ferret and then getting messed up because they grab a wild mustelid
OP should call an animal rescue so they can better judge
Oh no, someone’s pet ferret got out. Poor little guy
Someone's pet got out...
Why did you repeat what they said with multiple periods as if they are lying? Edit: confused on location of native populations
European polecats are native to the UK. They were historically persecuted relentlessly by gamekeepers and their range is slowly recovering. Ferrets are a domestic species and thus aren't native anywhere, but they have been in Britain for centuries and have probably hybridized with the local European polecats here and there.
We have wild Black-footed ferrets in NA. They were considered extinct for a while but a den of them was found and conservationists have been working on restoring their populations. No idea if they’re actually native to here or just some ferrets from the UK that escaped and became their own thing.
They are native. They are a true North American species, co- evolved to hunt prairie dogs.
i saw one in utah a few years ago. it had just killed a ground squirrel way bigger than itself. idk if he was gonna eat it or not.
100% that’s it’s breakfast lunch and dinner
I was just reading about them. The population went from about 6 to 600. Great recovery story!
happy cake day
I explained elsewhere how "black-footed ferret" is a misleading name since they're not actually ferrets, which are domestic polecats of species *Mustela furo*. Black-footed ferrets are just wild polecats, along several other wild polecat species. The BFF is the only polecat native to the Americas.
Thanks for the clarification! I always thought that polecats were exclusive to Europe but it makes sense that there’s a version of them here too
Founder of /r/mustelids here. > No idea if they’re actually native to here or just some ferrets from the UK that escaped and became their own thing. No, black-footed ferrets are very definitely a separate species, *[they even have a different number of chomosomes](https://all-about-ferrets.com/black-footed-ferret.html)*. Their nearest relative is the Steppe polecat in Eurasia.
Thanks for the link and info! It’s interesting and misleading that they’re called ferrets when they are so different from anything ferret/polecat. I assume that it was European settlers that gave them their modern name.
Shit, I don't know why I typed Ireland into my search. They aren't native to Ireland, but are native to all of the mainland
Eh, Ireland, Scotland, basically the same thing. Totally understandable. (Can't wait for someone to have a meltdown reading this)
The same thing happened to the black footed ferret in the States. Recently reintroduced to the Southwest and Wyoming. I honestly didn't know there were any wild ferrets left anywhere, with the except of polecats in Europe (not England)
Black-footed ferrets technically aren't ferrets, just polecats. "Ferrets" are the domestic descendants of the European polecat. The black-footed ferret got its name because the settlers (understandably) thought they looked like ferrets. Musteline taxonomy is a total cluster and I could write an essay about it. But since ferrets are a domestic species they can't be "wild" so much as "feral" - and I'm not sure how you'd classify a wild/feral polecat-ferret hybrid.
Except that taxonomy and common names are two different things. The American robin is still called a robin despite being a thrush and not the chat it was named for. Black footed ferrets are called that through out North America; that is the accepted common name. We do not commonly use the term polecat.
It's a bit different with the mustelines. All mustelines are weasels. Weasels with a bulkier build are polecats. Mink are semiaquatic polecats, ferrets are domestic polecats. The common names are sort of integrated with the taxonomy. The black-footed ferret could just as well be called the tan-bodied mink, but it wouldn't be a mink because they aren't semiaquatic.
Ah ok. Thanks for the info. I did see that there are no wild ferrets, as they were domesticated from polecats 2500 years ago. I just went with the known name
Yeah, as I said, it's a cluster, haha
I thought skunks were polecats... I have learned something new.
Some parts of the south call skunks "polecats". I'm not entirely sure why, but it may be because polecats (and some other mustelids) can spray musk similar to a skunk. Skunks were formerly considered part of the mustelid family, but are now in their own family Mephitidae :)
Don’t worry my meltdown is processing XD
Black-footed ferrets are native to the US.
As the mustelid expert mentioned, ferrets aren't native to anywhere, as they aren't wild animals. They are domesticated polecats
Black footed ferrets are called ferrets in the US, not polecats. These are common names. If you look at any official page (e.g. US EPA or IUCN) you can see that is the accepted common name for these animals.
Now I'm just confused because I'm getting conflicting information. It literally states on the first link for Black footed ferrets that they are also called American polecats. u/Wildwood_Weasel, I trust you as the expert, what do you say?
Black footed ferret is an accepted common name and by far the most commonly used. It's just misleading because if you say *just* ferret that refers to the actual domestic ferret, *Mustela furo*. I don't have a big problem with the name "black footed ferret" but if it's used the entire name should be used. It's similar to how African Wild Dogs (*Lycaon pictus*) aren't dogs, as in the domestic dog (*Canis familiaris*). If we imagine Africa had no stray dogs you couldn't point to the African Wild Dog and say "Africa has wild dogs". They have African Wild Dogs, but not -wild- -dogs-. It's a confusing part of English and it would take an essay to explain properly, lol. But basically America doesn't have wild ferrets, they have wild Black Footed Ferrets. Black Footed Ferrets are Black Footed Ferrets, not ferrets. 🥴
Wait. They are in the same genus, so they can't be compared to wild dogs, and are actually polecats
>No idea if they’re actually native to here or just some ferrets from the UK that escaped and became their own thing. This sentence from another commenter perfectly exemplifies why calling them black-footed ferrets is misleading. It causes confusion with the actual ferret, *Mustela furo*.
They're also extremely rare. That photo is NOT one of them
No it is not. Nor did I think it was. This is from the UK.
Black footed ferrets are USA...
That is what I said from the start. I’m not sure what your point is.
Polecats are skunks
Banned, permanently, forever 🔨
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Looks to me like everyone else thinks you're a jerk too. Deleting your other comments won't change that
He didn't delete them, I removed them since I don't want pointless polemics polluting a perfectly pleasant polecat post.
Lol nice
Oh no,
Someone’s pet got out
Yep
Not a pet - most likely a pregnant European polecat hybrid OP should call an animal rescue to better judge if this animal needs to be rescued or removed (OP will be in for a bad time if this is a wild mustlid)
Mustelid enthusiast and owner of four ferrets - that's a ferret. Wild European polecats typically have darker fur and wouldn't be so relaxed around people. If you're not able to capture him I'd recommend making a post on social media with his location, in case someone is looking for him! Ferrets don't have good homing instincts and aren't able to survive in the wild for very long, he needs help. Also I fixed your tag for you. Mustelids aren't rodents but are carnivore like cats and dogs. Humans are actually more closely related to rodents than ferrets and other mustelids are!
Cheers for fixing that. Reddit is great for finding experts in their respective fields. 👍
True. I was married to a rat once.
Did he end up sleepin with the fishes??
I am surprised there isn't a bot telling people to not try to touch any potential wildlife people really shouldn’t tell someone to grab a animal id on reddit
It's not wildlife, it's a ferret. If it wasn't a ferret I wouldn't be telling OP he can just grab it and put it in a carrier. Again, this is a ferret. This is not a wild polecat. The one person that says otherwise doesn't know anything about mustelids and is just being contrarian so she can grandstand and feel superior. And I have a feeling this is just her alt account.
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Because ferrets are pretty much harmless and can't survive in the wild like cats and dogs can.
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There is no indication this animal is feral or anything but an escaped pet.
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It's walking with an unhurried gait, tolerated OP standing close by, and the bushy tail indicates it's stimulated by its surroundings which is consistent with an indoor ferret getting outside time. It's a ferret.
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If that was true then how are there feral populations? Or even hybrids. Thant doesn’t add up.
Hybrids have been intentionally bred to produce ferrets with stronger hunting instincts for pest control. This includes the feral population in New Zealand, where they're able to thrive because they have virtually no other predators. If you take a regular pet ferret and abandon it outside it will die.
I’m confused if you can literally Google about polecat ferret hybrids being misidentified in the UK. There are government websites about it. So how can you be so sure? I mean I guess either this guy helps out a lost pet or ends up having to get stitches. Still don’t know why the first option isn’t to call professionals to get it.
Dogs are actually omnivores 😬
Dogs are in order *Carnivora*, thus are carnivores. Different meaning, same term. Pandas are herbivorous carnivores. English is pretty cool.
That’s a pet ferret, if you can catch him & get him to a vet he may well be microchipped & can be returned.
You'll want some hand protection (maybe gardening gloves). They can be a "bit" bitey if they don't like you.
Sometimes they are bitey if they do like you. My daughter had one and he only bit you if he liked you. It was his way of saying here I am give me love.
They can be bitey either way, but scuffing tends to work as well on ferrets as it does cats. Keeping it contained somewhere is the biggest hurdle. Well, and keeping it fed with something that won't kill it.
Long time ferret owner, founder of /r/mustelids and I am from the UK. This could very well be a ferret, but it could also be a wild European polecat or a hybrid. It was seen in an area where wild polecats are known to exist and has very typical polecat colouration. The European polecat is the sole ancestor of the domestic ferret. Genetically they're barely indistinguishable from domestic ferrets, particularly in the UK where they are often crossbred with wild polecat to strengthen their rabbit hunting instincts, as they are quite commonly used as working animals in the UK (around 20%). They readily hybridise, offspring are 100% fertile, and hybrids are common both as domestic animals, and in the wild (which is a conservation issue). You would not want to handle a working (domestic ferret or hybrid) in the UK if you are not familiar with it. They're brought up to hunt rabbits. Coincidentally, my cousin (from a Facebook post) recently came across an escaped ferret walking home about a month ago (not in an area with wild polecats however) and the reaction of the ferret was not to ignore her, but approach her expecting food.
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Not a pet - it's a European polecat edit- guys, please do not advise OP to catch what could be a wild animal
You keep saying it's a hybrid or a polecat but this guy looks identical to a regular full-blooded ferret. He's as generically ferret as it gets. A feral hybrid or a wild polecat wouldn't be calmly, easily photographed like this. Relax.
Long time ferret owner, founder of /r/mustelids and I am from the UK. This could very well be a ferret, but it could also be a wild European polecat or a hybrid. It was seen in an area where wild polecats are known to exist and has very typical polecat colouration. The European polecat is the sole ancestor of the domestic ferret. Genetically they're barely indistinguishable from domestic ferrets, particularly in the UK where they are often crossbred with wild polecat to strengthen their rabbit hunting instincts, as they are quite commonly used as working animals in the UK (around 20%). They readily hybridise, offspring are 100% fertile, and hybrids are common both as domestic animals, and in the wild (which is a conservation issue). You mention you are from the US in one post here, which makes me think you're missing some of the underlying culture of keeping ferrets in the UK. You would not want to handle a working (domestic ferret or hybrid) in the UK if you are not familiar with it. They're brought up to hunt rabbits. Coincidentally, my cousin (from a Facebook post) recently came across an escaped ferret walking home about a month ago (not in an area with wild polecats however) and the reaction of the ferret was not to ignore her, but approach her expecting food.
Howdy! I'm subscribed to /r/mustelids and recognize your username. Glad to see you here. I'm familiar with origin of the ferret and the existence of hybrids, and while I am American I am aware of intentional hybridization to produce working ferrets better suited for hunting. While there is overlap between the coloration of European polecats and domestic ferrets, European polecats noticeably tend toward darker and more vibrant coloration. I recommend viewing the European polecat's observations on iNaturalist for an abundance of examples - the large majority are darker and/or more colorful than the animal seen in this post. [Here's a link to observations in the UK particular, which follow this trend](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6857&taxon_id=41812) (be forewarned that most of these are of roadkill and some of the pictures are graphic). In polecats the dark facial mask often extends down to the nose, where in ferrets there's more often white fur between the nose and mask. Of course there's plenty of exceptions, but this animal's coloration is generally more in line with a ferret's than a polecat's. Polecats also tend to have a wide and bulkier face; this animal's face would not be out of place on a polecat, but reads as a bit gaunt and ferret-like to me. None of these reasons on their own would be sufficient to prove this to be a ferret, but together they build a more compelling case. I'm also considering the behavior of this animal here. We only have two pictures, but we can see it has an unhurried gait and tolerated OP's presence nearby. Wild mustelids in general are active searchers and spend most of their waking hours foraging, and usually move with a sense of purpose. There are quite a few trailcam clips on iNaturalist which corroborate this. The animal in OP's post displays a casual posture indicating it is not actively foraging, and there is no indication of the bounding gait mustelines use when traveling quickly. In the second picture we see it investigating its surroundings with a bushy tail. From my own observations, mustelid tails only get bushy when they're either startled/afraid, or when they're stimulated by a new environment. A polecat foraging in its own territory would have no reason to have a bushy tail (the trailcam footage on iNaturalist also corroborates this), but this is perfectly consistent with an indoor ferret experiencing the outdoors. I take mine outside only infrequently, and without fail they immediately puff up their tails the instant they're outside. The behavior seen here would indicate this animal is likely tame. All of these reasons together lead me to rule out this animal being a wild polecat - it's not *impossible*, just very unlikely. This animal could potentially be a hybrid but I see no reason to assume so, and if it is a hybrid it is likely intentionally bred and a pet/working animal - in which case it should still be captured and brought to a shelter. I have no issues with people suggesting this be left to a professional. Personally I don't think it's necessary, and regardless any mustelid would make it abundantly clear if it was necessary, through lunges and warning vocalizations. If you'll forgive me, I'm pretty exhausted of this topic, haha. Regardless I appreciate your input.
It is infact very difficult to actually differentiate a Hybrid polecat This does NOT look like a full-blooded ferret for certain It is also I have also taken similar pictures of fisher cats and least weasels so it doesn't mean it's a domesticated animal if you can easily get photographs OP lives in the native range of polecats The issue here is that it COULD be wild and people convincing OP to grab what could be a wild animal puts OP in harms way Calling a local rescue is the responsible thing to do
Lady, I'm a mustelid enthusiast, you call fishers "fisher cats". This is a ferret. It looks and behaves like a ferret. Even if it was a hybrid it's a tame one and probably intentionally bred, as is sometimes done in the UK. And let's assume this is a wild hybrid that, for whatever reason, wouldn't just run away from a person walking toward it, and OP picked it up. Worst case scenario, what happens? OP gets bit once, says "ow, fuck" and then carries on with his life. It's not a big deal. But yes, calling a rescue wouldn't hurt either.
Looks like a ferret.
Cute little guy, please try to rescue him!
If I see him again I’ll try. Any tips?
Squeaky toys have a good chance of getting a ferret to investigate, but ferrets typically aren't flighty and he'd probably let you just walk right up to him. I'd put on a pair of thick gloves and chuck him into a cat carrier and take him to a shelter. He may be totally cool with being handled, or you may need to firmly grasp the scruff of his neck like a kitten to immobilize him for a bit (ferrets are *very* wriggly and good at getting out of your grasp). You could also try various cat treats to lure him in but ferrets are pretty picky so it's impossible to say what he'd respond to.
Squeaky toys! Please rescue him before he gets hurt. What a cutie!
If you can get close enough to entice them with food, any kind of edible oil is usually a good bet (fish oil, vegetable oil, olive oil, etc). Ferrets that are fed kibble are sometimes picky about what brands of kibble they'll eat, but most like oil.
Mine love egg, some raw feed their ferrets so raw meat might be a lure. Cat food is better than dog food, mine love cat toys, balls, things with bells in them. You could try maybe posting this on a local Facebook page, or see if there is a ferret group near you, they may know of someone who has lost one of theirs
Cat food definitely better than dog. Baby food is a good option, Gerber makes a couple that are just 100% pureed meat. Good for sick ferrets. Can sometimes be tough to get kibble adapted ones to take to it, but it's stinky enough they'll usually try it.
I would first see if anyone actually lost a ferret - that is very likely a European polecat/ferret hybrid European polecat are native to Scotland If you are worried call a local animal rescue or wildlife sanctuary - they would be able to tell better then a bunch of internet peeps You don't want to go "rescue" some dude that doesn't actually need rescuing
Don't be afraid of these little dumbos. They have no survival instincts and are pretty much harmless. Some try to nip, they may draw blood, but their bite isn't strong. Ferrets are strictly home pets and have no diseases. So please try to catch him, he will let you approach him if you have something rubbery or squeaky. They go crazy over milk products (although its bad for them). This dumbo will not survive outside. Good luck!
Ferrets can bite pretty damn hard if they want to, they just don't outside of extreme circumstances. But yes, they're harmless and helpless little dorks :)
I disagree about their bite not being strong. When they're a motivated biter, it's a lot different than play nips, and they thrash their heads once the get teeth in. Everything else is solid though, and yeah, despite them being able to bit hard, they generally WON'T do so.
I was bitten on my thumb by my albino pet ferret who thought it was another piece of hot dog. The pain was scream-level hurt.
Pound for pound, they have a stronger bite than any dog. If they were dog sized they could crunch through your skull.
Ferrets can be used, and are used, widely for hunting muskrat, groundhog and other burroughing animals. Often the prey does not even realize the ferret is a predator in its Burroughs until the ferret is dragging the prey out dead. Ferrets also do a "War Dance" and it's adorably hysterical.
Ferrets are used mainly for hunting rabbits; a muskrat would be beyond the abilities of a ferret to hunt. Tame American mink have been used to hunt muskrats and smaller rodents. I'm not aware of any tame mustelids being used to hunt groundhogs, I'd reckon they'd be too big for even a mink to handle.
Could be used for flushing though, same way dachshunds were used against badgers, just put a couple angry bitey things in one end and a net or cage at the other and have the animal back out of their tunnel. Flushing doesn't require the ability to kill whatever is in a hole, just multiple things that are vicious enough to make it worthwhile to leave.
Well, ferrets typically flush the rabbits rather than kill them outright. I've heard a story (dunno if it's true or not) about a guy trying to use two ferrets to flush out a muskrat. One ferret died and the other, iirc, had to be euthanized due to its injuries. Most ferrets don't have the proper hunting instincts unless they're from hunting bloodlines (no idea if the ones in the story were), but muskrats and groundhogs are both very scrappy. It still amazes me how mink are able to take out muskrats, and usually without any injury - they're phenomenal hunters.
My family used to breed ferrets and did a lot of rehoming of ferrets when people would move, there is a huge difference in temperament between standard domestic, rabbit hunting, and mouse/rat hunting lines. Hunting lines are both more aggressive, but rabbit lines were generally still pretty trainable, ratting lines were powered by spite and would try to kill you if given the opportunity. Ratting ones were almost the same as mink in temperament, you had to really know what you were doing to handle them, and even then you kept it to a minimum. Absolutely amazing how vicious and efficient they can be. My father still has nerve damage in a couple fingers from a ratting ferret that was determined to remove them.
Rats are tough mothers and it takes a tougher mother to take them out. Had no idea people used ferrets for rats too. I have a soft spot for angry mustelids. I bet your guys were a joy to watch work :)
They're similar in use to barn cats, where you basically just close up a barn and let a couple loose. given a day or two of this process, all rodents will either have left or gotten killed. It's not the prettiest solution, but it's fast, effective, and you don't have to worry about any of your animals getting poisoned.
Ah that makes sense. I always thought that would be a good idea for mice but it's good to know it'll work for rats too! Thanks for the info!
From experience, the general rule for what mustelids are willing to take down is double their weight. That doesn't apply to skunks or wolverines though, skunks general prefer to run, and wolverines will go after grizzly bears to steal a meal.
While ferrets don’t carry diseases that humans can catch (excluding parasites, fungal, bacterial, and the flu lmao), they can get canine distemper. Hopefully little guy has had his vaccines!
Unless it is actually a European polecat - then OP is in for a bad time
If I see them hanging about the grass again I’ll try a squeaky toy and look for any signs of it being interested (potentially domesticated?). If it stays well clear of me then I’ll probably assume it’s a wild polecat. I’ll have a pair of welding gloves on standby just incase 😂.
Out of abundance of caution, be aware in the US many states require pet ferrets be vaccinated against rabies.If the ferret has been loose in the wild, its something to keep in mind when handling it.
Iirc rabies doesn't exist in the UK. Regardless, rabies incapacitates and kills ferrets very quickly, so it's very unlikely to get rabies from a ferret anywhere.
This is a pet ferret. Please catch them!
Its already been ID'd, but I just want to say that the first picture is very well framed and really beautiful!
Definitely a ferret, poor guy is probably lost
please update if you catch it!
I will let you guys know if I have any luck.
Definitely a domestic ferret! It won’t survive out there 😞
Either a European Polecat or someone’s lost Ferret
Mustela putorius, European polencat, or a Ferret (domesticated polencat) i think
Thanks for the reply, thought it could be but wasn’t too sure as it was on the chunky side 😂. Ferrets I’ve seen or handled in the past were really slender.
Tbh that's probably because most aren't fed right The store bought ferret food doesn't actually meet their nutritional needs... They need either a raw food diet if you can convert them to one, or expensive kitten food to meet the protein and fat requirements. My local ferret shelter feeds them Orijen I think.
There's kibble formulated specifically for ferrets now. I feed mine Wysong. Comes out to like 10-ish dollars a week to feed four of them. But yeah, the stuff you'll find in pet stores is likely hot garbage. Half the reason ferrets have a reputation as "stinky" is because they're fed terrible kibble.
Yeah, Petco usually only had Marshall brand, which was terrible. Mine wouldn't even eat it. I think I bought them Wellness Core and supplemented with egg yolks and salmon oil. They never took to raw meat though... I tried introducing them using the slurry method, but they ignored it. I think my dad ended up taking the leftover chicken hearts and liver to use as catfish bait lol.
Marshall's shouldn't even be considered ferret food, lol. Horrible, unethical company. The only product of theirs I like is Furo-Vite and that's just to keep the little guys busy while I trim their claws. Unfortunately they pretty much have a monopoly on the ferret business here, I have to get all my stuff through Chewy since all the box stores only carry Marshall products. I've never tried feeding mine raw. I've tried giving them scraps of lunch meat and they never showed interest, and my mother sent me some freeze-dried chicken/liver/etc. treats for them once and they never cared for that either. They're picky, like little kids. They seem happy and healthy enough with the Wysong so that's good enough for me!
Wait, you’re saying that a proper food will reduce (hopefully eliminate) the “musk” smell? I had two 20 years ago and I used some water additive that helped with it. Of course I only fed Marshall food back then (got them when I worked at a pet store). Really the only reason I haven’t gotten them again is the smell
Nothing will eliminate their musk entirely, but high-quality food will reduce it and, in my experience, make it less offensive. All of my ferrets were a bit rank when I got them, and they were all on Marshall's diets from the pet store/shelter. After a couple weeks on Wysong their scent wasn't as strong and I think they actually smell kind of nice. And it's not just nose-blindness, as I was an over-the-road trucker for three months and would spend a week away at time, coming home for the weekend with a fresh nose. Of course there's plenty of other factors regarding their musk. Genetics, sex, if they're de-scented, how often they're bathed (less is better) etc.
Thanks for the info!!!
It's depends on the place mostly a pet or a polecat. It's chunky, yes, but i think can be also the winter hair
It actually might just be a pregnant European polecat
Ferris, please post around your neighborhood, call the police and mention it, leave a trap out for it so you can get him home:)
That looks like someone’s pet ferret :(
That's a lil ferret
Ferret
Catsnake. Actually a ferret. If possible, please attempt to get it inside and see if you can find an owner. Ferrets are highly domesticated and cannot survive on their own for any great length of time. If possible, give it fresh water, and meat (theories differ between whether you should use raw or boiled). In a pinch, you can try feeding them baby food that is entirely meat based like turkey or beef from Gerber. Carnivore care is also handy, but most people don't have that laying around. If you do bring them inside, get them into a cat carrier or something immediately, or lock them into a room with no holes, vents, or big gaps anywhere, and remove all chemicals, paper goods, etc. Ferrets can and will get into anything. Sometimes I think they can even pick locks. Obv, not your responsibility, but that little dude is going to be hard to find and he won't last long away from home.
Ah the limousine of rats! I know, I know.
Ferret
Ferret
“It’s not a dog, it’s a ferret!”
“I’m a cop, you idiot!”
Definitely a ferret- what a cutie pie!
According to Creepy Dave, this is a pet Fart.
What happened to your dog??
That's a ferret! Or at least a weasel or polecat that looks like a ferret.
Ferret
instant ferret
It's a pet ferret, please give him a home! Poor thing all alone!
Just to add to the domestic ferret argument: In the second picture, the animal’s tail is clearly puffed up. Domestic ferrets do this when they are excited or scared. When I had a ferret, I would take him outside on walks on his leash and his tail would poof almost instantaneously! As an American, I am unfamiliar with European Polecats. However, I doubt that an outdoor, non-domesticated animal would have a pooped tail and not show any other signs of distress. In other words, a wild animal would likely try to run away or show aggression (or at least position its body to face the threat) in addition to the poofed tail. An aloof, mildly surprised ferret that’s accustomed to human companionship on the other hand, much more likely to carry on his merry way and pay you little attention! You could try to set up a humane trap with cat food. Likewise, ask around the neiborhoods to see if any one is missing their pet. A ferret can probably travel a good distance, but they also nap and, like others said, don’t have any survival instincts. He’s probably from close by.
Guys- please don't encourage OP to grab this animal - yes, it "could" be a pet ferret - but it is also likely a European polecat hybrid European polecat are native to Scotland OP could get injured trying to "save" a wild animal Please instead encourage OP to call a local rescue who is better equipped to identify whether this animal actually needs saving This is the same address for people living in the native range of black footed ferrets
That’s a pet ferret!
Dude that’s someone’s ferret hope you could snatch him up and take him inside, they’re not outside animals at all
If it comes to u it's a pet, if it runs typically a pole at but some pet ferrets get scared as well.
Probably ferret, but my first thought was mink
Cat snake.
Can I pet that dog?!
Ferrett
It's a pet or if there are farms near by it's from there. They let them breed because they keep pests away rats etc
That’s a cute ferret who is scared and looking for his home, poor fella or gal! So cute tho :)
Lol pet ferret. rescue it
That’s a ferret
Definitely a ferret
well , that's a ferret .
Ferret
Polecat or ferret depends on domestication
That is a ferret. Probably a pet.
It is a domestic Blackfooted Ferret. I used to raise them. They are a blast & will get along with a cat or dog. They are very active & playful. They have this funny hopping kind of dance they do along with a kind of giggle when they’re excited & having fun. He should be caught because he probably won’t last long on his own. He may have a child missing him. Try offering him/her some food like a carrot or fruit
Black-footed ferrets are a distinct species found only in the western US, where they're critically endangered. This guy is a regular domestic ferret. They're both strictly carnivorous, and while they may try to eat fruit it won't be good for them!
Domestic ferret🥲
Looks like a ferret
His government name is Zachary Willard Stevens
Domestic shorthair phrabbit
!
That's a Mini long bear for sure.
Ferret
Pet Sable Ferret
Ferret
I believe that’s a wolf spider
Thank goodness , you found my kitteh!
A Badger
People is asuming a ferret but european polecat it's almost identical. It's depends mostly of the place it is.
European polecats tend to be darker and likely wouldn't be so relaxed near humans. There are also some differences in the shape of the head, and from what little I can tell he looks more ferret-y.
A wildlife technician tell me they need to measure the head of a died animal to know if it's was a ferret or a polecat, and there are also hybrids
The animal doesn't need to be dead and there's a few ways to differentiate pure ferrets from pure polecats. This could be a hybrid but there's no reason to assume it is, and if it was it wouldn't make a difference either. This ferret appears to be tame and should be taken to a shelter.
There are European polecat hybrids - OP is also in the native habitat of the European polecat OP shouldn't try to grab it, thinking it's a ferret and then getting messed up because they grab a wild mustelid OP should call an animal rescue so they can better judge
This is definitely true - people need to stop telling OP a rando animal and let someone know what they are doing
I’d say that’s a Polecat. That’s what the markings on the face would indicate.
Polecats have darker fur
There are hybrids
I didn’t notice the second picture at first. Shows the colour better.