They're irresistibly cute and, perhaps most importantly, housebroken.

Welcome to the wonderful world of NeoPets.com, an addictive internet phenomenon spreading among people from Atlanta to Argentina, and the young and young at heart. A cross between "The Sims," "Dungeons and Dragons" and that high school project where you have to try to cart around eggs for a week without breaking them. NeoPets need frequent attention from their owners, who must feed the critters, educate them, and keep them out of harm's way. But in reality they are perfect for those of us who want a pet but not the responsiblity.