The striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, is a common nocturnal animal in Ohio and is about the size of an average house cat. There is also a spotted skunk, Spilogale putorius, which is less common.

Skunks dig up yards and can spray pets and kids if they are not handled properly. Mothballs do not deter skunks and create more problems than they solve. Deterring skunks comes down to removing hiding ...