Animal-behavior experts at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine are looking for a few good cats with one irksome habit ­ spraying.

Female cats that spray, that meet the criteria for the study and whose owners live within driving distance of Ithaca, will receive a full medical exam, including urinalysis and X-rays, and two months' worth of two different anti-anxiety drugs. In return, their owners are asked to keep a diary of the cats' spraying behavior for 10 weeks and to pay a nominal fee ($14) to help with record-keeping costs of the study.

"Most of the spraying problems we see are in male cats, particularly male cats that have not been neutered," explained Katherine A. Houpt, professor of physiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine and director of the Animal Behavior Clinic, where the drug trials are conducted.

She said that about 10 percent of neutered males continue to spray, while only half as many spayed females do so, "but that can be just as annoying. We would like to see if either of these anti-anxiety drugs ­ or perhaps some combination of the two ­ can ease this problem."

The preliminary exam will determine whether cats have an underlying medical condition before the treatment is started, Houpt noted. Results of the study will be reported in the veterinary medical literature and should help cat owners everywhere deal with the problem.

Cat owners interested in the spraying study can call the Animal Behavior Clinic at 253-3450.