CORVALLIS, OREGON- Oregon State University's Human-Animal Interaction Lab conducted a study gauging how capable cats are of bonding with their owners and discovered that, as aloof as cats may seem, they typically do bond with their owners.

 "Like dogs, cats display social flexibility in regard to their attachments with humans," said Kristyn Vitale, study author and researcher at Oregon State University's Human-Animal Interaction Lab. "The majority of cats are securely attached to their owner and use them as a source of security in a novel environment."

Researchers studied the felines by having cats and kittens individually spend two minutes in a room with their owner or caregiver. Then, the person would leave the room for two minutes, followed by a two minute reunion.This is called a "secure base test."

Typically, if the felines responded to their owner's return by exploring their surroundings or by paying attention to their owner, this was an indication of their being "securely bonded." The study revealed that about 65% of the participating cats and kittens were securely bonded with their owners.

So, despite the stereotypical depiction of cats as aloof loners, these furry friends are capable of bonding with their humans.