Whiskers and the other talking and singing "Spice Mice" could be "heirs apparent" to the toy fads of Christmas past such as Tickle Me Elmo, Cabbage Patch dolls and Beanie Babies, says Spice Mice creator Jay Kamhi. Spice Mice ($5.99-$7.99) are available in stores or at www.spicemice.com

"We sold out the first 60,000 Spice Mice within two weeks and immediately received orders for 200,000 more," says Jay Kamhi, who oversees the design, manufacture and distribution of the pop-cultured rodents. "Since the company consists of my wife, my best friend and his 17-year-old daughter, $625,000 in sales since September isn't bad."

The leaders of the pack include: Sinatra-suited "Big City Mouse," who sings "Noo York, Noo York;" "Miguel Raton," a Mexican mouse who "don't need no stinking cats;" "Tony Mousiano," the mafia mouse whose philosophy on life is "Bada bing, bada bang, bada boom;" and a rapping, hip-hop mouse named "Lil' Spicy" who was tough enough to fight back when Eminem's handlers tried to ban him from store shelves. All told, there are 11 different Spice Mice.

Kamhi began his career 22 years ago on New York City streets at age 17, selling light-up visors and the "Wacky Wall Walker" -- a crawling octopus that he would toss against a bank window on 42nd Street and Madison Avenue to increase sales.

From there, he worked his way up to a wiggling hand, which raised the ire of city fathers when he employed a sales force of homeless Vietnam and Gulf War veterans. Most recently, he sold Beanie Babies on the secondary market because Ty would not sell to him directly.

Kamhi has big plans for the money the Spice Mice are earning. "I've lived with a hole in my roof for 10 months because everything was tied up in the mice. My wife's major concern was making the mortgage payment each month. Finally, that's changing as the big orders come in. To quote Walt Disney, 'It was all started by a mouse.'"

Spice Mice, $5.99-$7.99, are available in stores including 7-11, and at www.spicemice.com