I’m sure kids will love this:

For those who argue that young people are spending too much time in front of computers, MTV Networks has an answer. It will now let them feed and dote on virtual pets using cellphones.

MTV, a unit of Viacom, plans to introduce a cellphone-based version of its popular Neopets Web site tomorrow. The site (www.neopets.com), which MTV bought a year ago for $160 million, lets users adopt, feed and nurture their pets and do battle with cartoonish creatures including the catlike Aisha and the dragonlike Scorchio.

It’s amazing how much people care about these virtual creatures:

But why would people want to pay for a simpler version of a game they have been getting for free? One reason is so they can leave home guilt-free, said Rik Kinney, executive vice president of Neopets.

“We are deluged with e-mails saying, ‘I’m going on vacation — what can I do with my pet?’ ” Mr. Kinney said. Mr. Kinney noted that the pets would not actually die if they did not get food and probably would not notice their owners’ absence. “The pets don’t get lonely.”