I prefer male cats to females. I find them much more affectionate.
Female cats can spray too, it is disgusting from either sex. We weren't sure it was normal so called our vet and he told us that it is an undesexed females way of attracting a mate. Yuck.
I am definitely going to be desexing my next cat very early on to hopefully stop any spraying. My gorgeous male cat that passed away in 07 wasn't desexed and he never sprayed. I think it comes down to the cat.