What are the differences between a Mongoose and a Mink?

Mongooses are more closely related to cats, and mink is more closely related to dogs. Minks are close relatives of weasels. Mongooses are more closely related to civets and other viverrids. There are only 2 species commonly referred to as mink, one in Europe and one in North America. The European mink is more closely to the European polecat (wild ancestor of the domestic ferret) than to the American species of mink. There are 30+ species of mongooses, and they live in Africa, southern Europe and Asia. Mongooses have a wider range in size, from squirrel to cat sized, since there are so many different species. Minks are about the size of a small cat, reaching about 20 inches long, and weighing about 2 lbs. Mongooses also tend to form social groups, whereas minks are solitary except during the breeding season, when a pair may share a den, and the young are cared for by their mother. Mongooses also tend to have coarser, grizzly fur, whereas minks are prized for the high quality of their fur.