Despite their common name, Fisher cats (Pekania pennanti) are not cats and do not fish. A relative of weasels, the Fisher cat’s name is most likely a mistaken derivation of the French word “fische”, which refers to the European polecat. Although Fishers won’t turn down a fish food offering, their hunting endeavors mostly focus on gray squirrels and other terrestrial goodies.

[Sketch contributed by Amelia Munson. Fact contributed by Adrian Perez.]

Source: McNeil, D. J., Nicks, C. A., Wester, J. C., & Larkin, J. L. (2017). Diets of fishers (Pekania pennanti) and evidence of intraspecific consumption in Pennsylvania. The American Midland Naturalist, 177(2), 200-210.