In the US we call the skunk a polecat, however in Europe, Asia and Africa
the name polecat is applied to several weasel like animals includeing the
European Polecat "Mustela Putorius", the ferret is "Mustela Putorius Furo"
which probably tells you the polecat and the ferret are awfully darned
similar.  There are several theories about the origins of the ferret, one of
which is that it is merely a domesticated European Polecat.  Other theories
involve African polecats that have since been interbred with European
Polecats.  The second theory has more backing in old literature.  The reason
we call a skunk a polecat in the US is that the striped skunk looks rather
like the Striped Polecat (African I believe) and they are both mutelids.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 1295]