Drop down boxes

I have 2 database tables - one contains a list of categories and one contains a list of specific items. I want to have two drop down boxes. When you select the category from the first, it should automatically fill the second with all of the items from that category. Right now we are using JS to do this, but I was wondering if it could be done with CF? This is on a form that calls itself, so it is important to have the previously selected category already in the drop down box when the form calls itself. (It calls itself if you select "edit" rather than "submit")

There are over a hundred items in the second list, so a series of if statements would be impractical.