Skunks (sometimes referred to as polecats) are mammals best known for their ability to excrete a strong, foul-smelling odour. General appearance ranges from breed to breed from black and white to brown or cream colored. They belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora. There are 11 species of skunks, which are divided into four genera: Mephitis (hooded and striped skunks, two species), Spilogale (spotted skunks, two species), Mydaus (stink badgers, two species), and Conepatus (hog-nosed skunks, five species). The two skunk species in the Mydaus genus inhabit Indonesia and the Philippines; all other skunks inhabit the Americas from Canada to central South America.

Skunks were formerly considered to be a subfamily of the Mustelidae family of weasels and related animals (where some taxonomists still place them), but recent genetic evidence shows that they are not as closely related to the Mustelidae as formerly thought.

The hooded skunk, Mephitis macroura, is similar to the striped skunk, but can be distinguished by its longer tail and longer, softer coat of fur. A ruff of white fur around its neck gives the animal its common name. It is generally more white dorsally, and black ventrally, but two color variants exist. One type has an all-white back, while the other has a black back with two white longitudinal stripes.

The hooded skunk is most abundant in Mexico, but its range extends into Central America and into the southwestern United States. It is found on grassland, high desert, and in the foothills of mountains, but it avoids high elevation. It tends to live near a water source, such as a river.

The diet of the hooded skunk consists mostly of vegetation, especially prickly pear, but it will readily consume insects and small rodents as well. It shelters in a burrow or a nest of thick plant cover during the day and is active at night. Its breeding season is in the late winter and the female bears an average litter of three young.

The Western Spotted Skunk (Spilogale gracilis) is a spotted skunk found throughout the western United States, northern Mexico, and southwestern British Columbia. The Western Spotted Skunk is smaller than the striped skunk. Their total length is usually 35-55cm. Their habitat is mixed woodlands, open areas, and farmlands. They ascend to scare predators. They spray by standing on their forelegs and raising their hindlegs and tail in the air.

The spotted skunks are three species of Skunk in the genus Spilogale.

The Eastern Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius) is smaller and more weasel-like than the striped skunk. Both species are nocturnal and crepuscular. The spotted skunks are faster and more agile than the striped skunks and they have better pelts. For the last 100 years, the Eastern Spotted Skunk was bred for its fine silky fur. The furs and pelts were sold as "Marten Fur."

Jerry Dragoo, in a 1997 paper co-authored by Rodney L. Honeycutt of Texas, named the new family classification Mephitidae after mephitis, the Latin word for a foul gas or smell.

The spotted skunks weigh between 1 and 3 pounds. They are black with a white spot on the forehead and interrupted white stripes over their backs and sides that give the appearance of spots.

They are often incorrectly called a "civet cat"—a member of the genet family (Viverridae) with a long banded tail similar to a raccoon's—the two are not closely related.

The hog-nosed skunks belong to the genus Conepatus and are members of the family Mephitidae (skunks). They are native to the Americas.