How did the skunk get the name polecat?

From the lighter side: Etymologists took a poll (pole).

But seriously: This noun was first coined in the early 14th century, originating with the Old French "poule", meaning "fowl, hen"; so-called because it preys upon poultry. However, another alternative is that it derives from the Old French "pulent", meaning "stinking". It was originally a name for the European "Putorius foetidus", but has been applied to the American skunk since the 1680s.