A small carnivorous mammal native to Africa and southern Europe, resembling a cat but more closely related to mongooses. Also refers to a small Spanish horse breed.
From Old French 'genette', ultimately from Arabic 'jarnayṭ'. The word entered European languages through Spanish contact with North African cultures. The horse breed shares the name due to its association with North African and Spanish breeding traditions.
Genets are nocturnal creatures with semi-retractable claws and scent glands that produce a musky perfume historically used in the fragrance industry. Despite looking very cat-like, they're more closely related to hyenas and mongooses, showing how convergent evolution can create similar body plans in unrelated animals.
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