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The Cape Genet (Genetta tigrina), also known as the Blotched Genet or the Large-spotted Genet, is a carnivore
Carnivora

The diverse Order Carnivora includes over 260 species of eutheria mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal....
 mammal
Mammal

Mammals are a class of vertebrate animals whose name is derived from their distinctive feature, mammary glands, with which they feed their young....
, related to the African Linsang
African Linsang

The African Linsang is a species of linsang in the family Viverridae. It is endemic to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo....
 and to the civet
Civet

The family Viverridae is made up of 35 species, including all of the genet , the Binturong, most of the civets, and the four linsangs.Viverrids are native to most of the Old World tropics, nearly all of Africa , Madagascar, and the Iberian Peninsula....
s. It can be found in Africa from Senegal
Senegal

Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the S?n?gal River in West Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south....
 to Somalia
Somalia

Somalia , officially the Republic of Somalia and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a country located in the Horn of Africa....
, and south to Namibia
Namibia

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa on the Atlantic Ocean coast. It shares borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south....
 and South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
, though is absent from the continent's southwestern arid zones. Like other genets
Genet (animal)

Genets are Old World carnivores of the family Viverridae, related to civets and linsangs. All species are contained within the genus Genetta, although the Aquatic Genet, is sometimes housed in its own genus Osbornictis....
, it is nocturnal and arboreal
Arboreal

Arboreal is a word meaning "related to or resembling trees". Its meaning comes from the Latin arbor, meaning tree.In biology, an arboreal animal is one which inhabits or spends large amounts of time in trees or Shrubes....
.

Similar in appearance to the Common Genet
Common Genet

The Common Genet , also known as the Small-spotted Genet or European Genet, is a Carnivore mammal, related to civets and linsangs. The most far-ranging of all the eleven species of genet , it can be found throughout Africa, parts of the Middle East, and in Europe in Spain, Portugal, the Balearic Islands, and parts of France....
 (G. genetta), the Cape Genet has yellowish-grey fur with rust-coloured and black rosettes, with a black and white tail.






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The Cape Genet (Genetta tigrina), also known as the Blotched Genet or the Large-spotted Genet, is a carnivore
Carnivora

The diverse Order Carnivora includes over 260 species of eutheria mammals. Its members are formally referred to as carnivorans, while the word "carnivore" can refer to any meat-eating animal....
 mammal
Mammal

Mammals are a class of vertebrate animals whose name is derived from their distinctive feature, mammary glands, with which they feed their young....
, related to the African Linsang
African Linsang

The African Linsang is a species of linsang in the family Viverridae. It is endemic to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo....
 and to the civet
Civet

The family Viverridae is made up of 35 species, including all of the genet , the Binturong, most of the civets, and the four linsangs.Viverrids are native to most of the Old World tropics, nearly all of Africa , Madagascar, and the Iberian Peninsula....
s. It can be found in Africa from Senegal
Senegal

Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the S?n?gal River in West Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south....
 to Somalia
Somalia

Somalia , officially the Republic of Somalia and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a country located in the Horn of Africa....
, and south to Namibia
Namibia

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa on the Atlantic Ocean coast. It shares borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south....
 and South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
, though is absent from the continent's southwestern arid zones. Like other genets
Genet (animal)

Genets are Old World carnivores of the family Viverridae, related to civets and linsangs. All species are contained within the genus Genetta, although the Aquatic Genet, is sometimes housed in its own genus Osbornictis....
, it is nocturnal and arboreal
Arboreal

Arboreal is a word meaning "related to or resembling trees". Its meaning comes from the Latin arbor, meaning tree.In biology, an arboreal animal is one which inhabits or spends large amounts of time in trees or Shrubes....
.

Similar in appearance to the Common Genet
Common Genet

The Common Genet , also known as the Small-spotted Genet or European Genet, is a Carnivore mammal, related to civets and linsangs. The most far-ranging of all the eleven species of genet , it can be found throughout Africa, parts of the Middle East, and in Europe in Spain, Portugal, the Balearic Islands, and parts of France....
 (G. genetta), the Cape Genet has yellowish-grey fur with rust-coloured and black rosettes, with a black and white tail. Individuals from drier areas of South Africa tend to have lighter colours and less stark patterns, while the opposite is the case in moister areas. Melanistic
Melanism

Melanism [Gr. ???a?] is an increased amount of black or nearly black pigmentation of an organism, resulting from the presence of melanin. It is the opposite of Leucism and albinism which occurs due to lack of melanin....
 individuals are not unknown.

Its diet is varied, and includes rodents, birds, reptiles, fruit, and invertebrates. Like all viverrids, it has strong scent glands which it uses to mark its territory.

The Cape Genet is one of the species of genet kept as exotic pets, in the U.S.A. and elsewhere.

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