What exactly what a civet is for those who are unfamiliar with this animal? First let's be clear on misconceptions right away. Although they are ordinarily called civet cats , civets, or (civettectis civetta), are not cats . They are actually related to the mongoose more than to the cat family. Commonly called civet cats , civets are not cats. In fact, they are more closely related to mongooses than they are to cats . In Singapore, the Common Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) is one of th e species of civet that can be seen. Civets are commonly known as ‘Musang’ in the Malay Language. The Civet Cat, also known as the Common Civet, is a medium-sized mammal found in tropical Africa and Asia . It has a distinctive appearance with a long body, short legs, and a bushy tail. Civet Cats are known for their unique musky odor, which is used in perfumes. Civets are found in Africa, southern Europe, and Asia. Rather catlike in appearance, they have a thickly furred tail, small ears, and a pointed snout. The coloration varies widely among the species but commonly is buff or grayish with a pattern of black spots or stripes or both.