Polecat in my garden !

[Chilti]

I have recently moved out of London to Bucks, having not lived in the countryside since I was a child I have been amazed by the abundance of wildlife, we have many red kites, a stoat at the bottom of the garden, and plenty of rabbits, foxes and deer, but this morning as I pulled back my bedroom curtains I saw a polecat by my back door.
When I brought my cat in last night he was breathing really hard and trying to clean his nose, does anyone know if polecats spray in defence. I have also found this morning blackbird feathers from an overnight kill (not the cat), I fairly often find pidgeon feathers which I thought were fox kills but would a fox bother with a blackbird or could it be the polecat?

[Ann2]

Hello Chilti, welcome to WAB and welcome to Buckinghamshire.

I know that domestic ferrets can give off a smell when frightened so I would imagine that polecats can do the same. Could your polecat actually be somebody's escaped pet ferret?

Incidentally, my cat used to play with a ferret that I hand reared from a youngster. The ferret wasn't at all frightened of her.

It sounds like you've moved to a wonderful place in Bucks. I hope we'll hear more of your wildlife experiences.

Ann

[Words]

Originally Posted by Chilti

but would a fox bother with a blackbird?

Yes, a fox would. Definitely.

[Hobjob]

I think escaped ferret most likely, as I think polecats are very
rare outside Wales.

Yes, they hae an anal gland that stinks that they use for
marking territory (and perhaps defence?).

[Jason Green]

Polecats in the UK... from NBN NBN Gateway: Polecat (Mustela putorius) grid map

[Rob_D]

Welcome to WAB Chilti. AFAIK polecats can't actually spray like a skunk so your cat would have had to get uncomfortably close to the polecats rear end!
I'm surprised that your stoats don't see off the polecat.

I am very jealous, we have polecats in Hertfordshire, but no chance of seeing one in my garden.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Rob_D

I'm surprised that your stoats don't see off the polecat.

Polecats are larger than stoats so I would of though they would have the upperhand in territorial disputes.

[Rob_D]

True, though I have seen stoats near 15" tip-to-tail which would be comparable to small polecat.

If the stoats live there, they have alot to lose by allowing an intruder to stay, whereas the polecat is just passing through, so not as likely to risk injury. I don't know how tolerant stoats and polecats are of each other, but I would assume they compete somewhat as they go for similar prey.

[Tricia]

Just been reading about the pole cat - any more sightings?

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Rob_D

True, though I have seen stoats near 15" tip-to-tail which would be comparable to small polecat.

If the stoats live there, they have alot to lose by allowing an intruder to stay, whereas the polecat is just passing through, so not as likely to risk injury. I don't know how tolerant stoats and polecats are of each other, but I would assume they compete somewhat as they go for similar prey.

Yes a large male stoat and a small female polecat will have not a great deal of size between them. It depends on who lives there and who is passing through, or if they both have territorys there. I would have thought that there would be a certain degree of tolerance within an area if food is in good supply.