In a powerful demonstration of how artificial intelligence can drive social good, a team of Northeastern University students has developed CatBot, an AI-powered chatbot designed to help a Boston-based animal rescue place senior and special needs cats in loving homes. 

More than just a technical project, CatBot embodies the intersection of compassion and innovation—demonstrating how experiential learning at D'Amore-McKim can translate into meaningful impact in the community. 

The project was born in the Advanced Research Practicum (MKTG 4606/6606), taught by Kwong Chan and Debashish Ghose at the D'Amore-McKim School of Business. 

Among the cross-disciplinary student team, Tanvie Sud, DMSB'26, played a key role in shaping CatBot's design and strategy. Sud worked with a team from across Northeastern—including Shreyaan Pathak, Laasya Anantha Prasad, Siddharth Dumbre, and Nicholas Brown—illustrating how students from diverse academic backgrounds can unite to solve real-world challenges. 

“While animal shelters have embraced digital tools for years, special needs cats continue to face longer wait times for adoption,” says Chan, executive director of the D'Amore-McKim AI Strategic Hub (DASH). “This project demonstrates how targeted AI applications can address specific social challenges while providing students with meaningful experiential learning.” 

The Cat Connection, a volunteer-run nonprofit no-kill shelter in Boston, faces ongoing challenges in finding homes for cats with medical needs or advanced age. The student team identified three major barriers: 

  • Information gaps: A lack of understanding about care requirements. 
  • Matching challenges: Difficulty pairing adopters with compatible cats. 
  • Post-adoption support: Limited resources to guide new adopters through the transition. 

CatBot was designed to address these needs directly. As a 24/7 virtual assistant, it answers frequently asked questions, educates adopters, and provides reassurance about adopting cats that are often overlooked. It also guides people interested in fostering, volunteering, or donating—broadening community engagement with The Cat Connection. 

“What makes CatBot unique is its specialized focus on senior and special needs cats,” said Sud. “We trained the model to address misconceptions and provide reassurance about these wonderful animals.” 

The project reinforced D'Amore-McKim's commitment to experiential learning, where students gain practical, hands-on experience applying classroom knowledge. For Sud, this meant not only building technical skills but also understanding how to tailor solutions to the realities of noneprofit. 

The team learned that adoption barriers were often emotional, not just logistical. By designing CatBot with empathy at its core, they helped ease anxieties for potential adopters while freeing volunteers to focus on direct animal care. 

“This wasn't just an academic exercise,” said Nicholas Brown, one of the student developers. “We were building something that would directly help these cats find loving homes. That added a layer of meaning and purpose to our technical work.” 

The Cat Connection quickly integrated CatBot into its digital adoption strategy. Volunteers say it has saved hours each week while improving the quality of interactions with potential adopters. 

The project aligns with the broader mission of DASH, which prmotes innovative applications of artificial intelligence for both business and social. By pairing academic rigor with hands-on problem solving, DASH equips students like Sud to become ethical and effective leaders in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. 

For CatBot, the journey is just beginning. Its framework could one day be adapted to support other nonprofits, expand adoption outreach, or even connect shelters across regions through data-sharing initiatives. 

Try CatBot for yourself at thecatconnection.org.