Art by Tortoiseman
Other than domestic cats, the genets have become the dominant feliforms in the old world. They are found throughout Africa as well as western Europe. The African genets are more hyena-like taking up the niche of a social scavenger. In Europe, the genet population took a different direction.
The Odhancaths (Mephitifelis) are a genus of genets ranging from Iberia, Greece, and Italy all the way up into Germany and the British Isles. The name odhancath translates to smelly cat in modern gaulish. They measure in at 3 ft in length, including a 1 ft long tail.
Their diet is for the most part omnivorous consisting of fruits, vegetables, insects, and small animals. One of their favorite foods are tubers and they have developed large paws and claws so that they may dig for them. This change in their diet has led to them developing a stouter build to improve limb strength.
The burrows they dig out in order to rest or find food are oftentimes used by other animals to rear their young or hide from the elements.
In case of predators, odhancaths release a potent spray from their scent glands similar to a skunk. When warning their predators, the fur on their back stands up high as they wave their bushy tails in the air while loudly squealing.
They breed over the winter and have 2-3 kits. During mating season, males and females will leave scent markings on rocks and trees and when they find each other, males perform an elaborate courtship dance to woo the female.