When people think of kick-ass pets they usually think of pit bulls, rottweilers or German shepherds. But if you really want to raise the eyebrows on your neighbor with the Doberman named "Killer," then you should consider getting a cat.

Domesticated hybrid wild cats are not your typical fluffy felines. Breeds such as the bengal cat and the pixie-bob all have the look of their wild ancestors, but are quite smaller, and you don't have to worry about your home turning into the lion's den.

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The bengal cat is derived from breeding the Asian leopard cat and a domestic cat, usually an abyssian, ocicat or Egyptian mau. Males grow up to 16 pounds and females are usually half that size. Bengals are usually reddish brown with black spots, but the "snow leopard" variety is off white with spots. Most cat registries in the world recognize bengals but because it does have wild blood, the Cat Fancier's Association doesn't recognize it.

Looking into the face of a pixie-bob gives you the feeling that you are staring at a bobcat, except it is much smaller. Pixie-bobs are descendants of the trademarked Legend Cat, a breed that is believed to be the product of a domestic and bobcat mating, although there is no real evidence to support that claim. Pixie-bobs are larger than the bengals and are usually a grayish-brown. Pixie-bobs are also sometimes found with extra toes on their paws.

Bengals and pixie-bobs are the most common hybrid cats on the Web, but there are many more. The chausie, jungle lynx and savanna are rarer, larger and more expensive breeds available on the Net. The chausie is derived from the African jungle cat. They are usually golden or black, although rare silver-tipped and spotted breeds are available. If you're looking for a cat to freak out the neighbors, these are the breeds. Males average 30 pounds, but can sometimes grow to 40, and females average about 25. Chausies run anywhere from $400 to $2,000.

The jungle lynx is derived from crossing an African jungle cat with a bobcat. These cats are also huge and the bobcat features are guaranteed to get people out of your way when taking kitty for a walk.

Savannas are a new breed of hybrid. They come from African serval and domestic breeds. Like the chausie and the jungle lynx, these cats can grow up to be 30 pounds or more. The price for one of these cuties can grow up to $3,500 or more.

Hybrid cats are domesticated enough to live with, but just wild enough to shake the cat lovers image of the quiet, librarian type.

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