Don't give up on cats that spray.

It's natural for cats to mark their territory. Fortunately, their scent glands in their feet, cheeks, face and tail often suffice. However, some felines prefer spraying or marking with their urine.

House-soiling is the top reason people surrender their cats to animal shelters, according to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy.

Before you decide that your cat has a behavioral problem, you might want to to rule out a medical condition, such as a urinary tract infection, or determine whether your cat is simply avoiding the litter box. Location, type of litter and even depth of litter can turn a cat off. Pet experts recommend two litter boxes per cat and one on each level of your home. Their highly sensitive noses do not like citrus smells, deodorizers or detergents. Giving your cat choices increases the likelihood that it will use a box instead of picking a place on your carpet. Cats prefer boxes in quiet, private spots, away from their dining area.

If you've ruled out a medical condition and are sure your litter box is inviting from a cat's perspective, then you probably do have a spraying or marking issue.

While frustrating, it's important to remember that marking is not done to anger you. Scolding or punishment will only elevate a cat's stress and may worsen the problem.

Cats are creatures of habit. They hate change. Nervous cats tend to mark with their scent to make it feel more like home. Veterinary studies identify several common causes of urine marking: interactions with cats outside, interactions with cats inside, relocation and schedule changes.

Although female and male cats will urine mark, intact males are at greatest risk for performing the unwelcomed behavior and also have the strongest and most pungent urine, which attracts females in the surrounding area. That's a great reason to get your cats sterilized.

Families are wise to research and take advantage of a variety of products that can help. The Hawaiian Humane Society offers Anti-icky Poo, an enzymatic cleaner that eats away smelly, urine bacteria without ruining carpets or upholstery. Another product effective in curbing this behavior is Feliway, a chemical version of the feline facial pheromone. It works because cats tend to not mark locations where they've left facial pheromones. Feliway is available as a diffuser and spray.

Cats also tend not to mark locations where their food is placed, so leave a small bowl of food in your cat's favorite spot to spray, but continue to feed it in its regular dining area. Limiting its access to the entire house when you are not home and supervising it when you are can also help.

In extreme cases, urine-marking cats may need a calming medication for a while. You and your veterinarian can discuss this option if all else fails.

All cats adopted from the Hawaiian Humane Society have free, lifelong support from the society's animal behavior team. There are also many behavior experts in the community who can help.

ELECTRA

TAG NO. 08-6233

Electrifying Electra came to us from the Kaua'i Humane Society on April 3. We're happy to have this pretty cream and tiger temptress, even if the trip over from the Garden Isle left her a little "purr-anoid!" She has tiny little Tidy Cat feet; pale blue eyes; a nice coat, tail and conformation; and she qualifies for our Seniors for Seniors Program, which means she's free to anyone 60 or older. Electra is a good girl and knows how to use her litter pan, but she is overweight and should see your private vet for special diet instructions.

MUSHASHI

TAG NO. 08-5616

Mushashi is a good-natured "Golden Oldie." He's red and white, around 60 pounds and has a sweet, expressive face. He is independent, confident and clever, but tends to guard his special toys. He enjoys good health, and qualifies for our Seniors for Seniors Program. The normal life span of a retriever is 13 years, but judging by his unabashed exuberance during this photo session, Mushashi will be going strong for many years to come!

These animals already may have found homes. The Hawaiian Humane Society and McInerny Dog Park at 2700 Wai'alae Ave. are open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekends and holidays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For directions, special events and to see more pets available for adoption, visit www.hawaiianhumane.org or call 946-2187. Report lost or found animals at ext. 4.