I am visiting a village in Issan and they were telling me about an animal called an "ee hen" (phonetic). I've tried searching and can't come up with anything. Apparently it has a "body like a cat and a face like a dog."

Thanks!

A palm civet, I believe.

Yup - อีเห็น

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_palm_civet

Used in coffee production I'm told.

Has a hard time in Isan.

Saw one on the barbecue

Wanna see a picture?

Ah no, better not.

Thanks for the answers. I appreciate it!

KhunBenQ, where I am at the moment they appear to eat almost anything and everything so one on the barbecue is no surprise.

Still see an occasional one crossing the road at night here in Northern Chiangmai Province. Must be endangered though because I am told they are very "tasty". Occasionally see their skins displayed on the walls of older, traditional restaurants.

Still see an occasional one crossing the road at night here in Northern Chiangmai Province. Must be endangered though because I am told they are very "tasty". Occasionally see their skins displayed on the walls of older, traditional restaurants.

..a bit similar to a 'mongoose'...see a few around rural areas darting across the road..love to have one as a pet..good snake deterrent.

If this is the same species as used for producing weasel sh.. coffee in Vietnam, then many are probably now in cages. There is a movement I believe to ban this coffee due to animal welfare issues. The coffee beans used to be very cheap to buy from warehouse but now it is seen as an "in drink" and I have heard of astronomical prices when sold at auction. Many many years ago I had drunk this coffee and taken beans back to the UK, when the civets roamed free that was. The coffees' flavour and action on the body is unique, perhaps less so today now that it is farmed intensively.

A Scots Wife