Masked palm civetscan adapt to various environments. Widely inhabiting, they have developed into diversified subspecies. Masked palm civets look like cats. But they’re bigger, have a long and narrow head and a pair of big and bright eyes. Most of the masked palm civets have a white unsymmetric stripepattern on their face from the top of the head to the nose.

Masked palm civets have good night vision. They usually go out in the dusk, at night, and before the sunrise. They are good climbers. They have scent glands around their anuses and will release an unpleasant odor when they are attacked.