Can I search for candidates by their name or status?

Yes! Use the `search_candidates` tool with a filter like `first_name:"John"`. The agent will return matching profiles from your CATS database.

How do I see the latest notes added to a candidate?

Use the `list_recruitment_activities` tool. Your agent will fetch the recent activity feed, which includes notes, status changes, and emails for all candidates.

Where do I find my CATS v3 API Key?

Log in to your CATS account, go to 'Administration' and look for the 'API' section. You can generate and copy your v3 key from there.

CATS ATS MCP Server for Cursor 8 tools — connect in under 2 minutes

Name: CATS ATS
Availability: InStock
Author: Vinkius

docs.cursor.com/context/model-context-protocol

Built by Vinkius GDPR 8 Tools IDE

Cursor is an AI-first code editor built on VS Code that integrates LLM-powered coding assistance directly into the development workflow. Its Agent mode enables autonomous multi-step coding tasks, and MCP support lets agents access external data sources and APIs during code generation.

Get MCP Server for AI Agents

ASK AI ABOUT THIS MCP SERVER

Open in ChatGPT Open in Claude Open in Perplexity

Vinkius supports streamable HTTP and SSE.

RecommendedModern Approach — Zero Configuration

Vinkius Desktop App

The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install CATS ATS and 2,500+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.

Download Free Open SourceNo signup required

Classic Setup·json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cats-ats": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Fully ManagedVinkius Servers

60%Token savings

High SecurityEnterprise-grade

IAMAccess control

EU AI ActCompliant

DLPData protection

V8 IsolateSandboxed

Ed25519Audit chain

<40msKill switch

Stream every event to Splunk, Datadog, or your own webhook in real-time

* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure

About CATS ATS MCP Server

Connect your CATS Applicant Tracking System (ATS) account to any AI agent and take full control of your recruitment pipeline through natural conversation. Streamline candidate sourcing and job management.

Cursor's Agent mode turns CATS ATS into an in-editor superpower. Ask Cursor to generate code using live data from CATS ATS and it fetches, processes, and writes. all in a single agentic loop. 8 tools appear alongside file editing and terminal access, creating a unified development environment grounded in real-time information.

What you can do

Candidate Discovery — Search and list candidate profiles with detailed contact information and status natively
Job Oversight — List and retrieve details for all active job orders and open positions flawlessly
Activity Tracking — Monitor recent recruitment activities, notes, and interactions securely
Organizational Mapping — List client companies and associated contacts within your ATS flawlessly
HAL-native Integration — Access deep object relationships through the CATS v3 HAL API structure in real-time
Pipeline Analysis — Audit candidate progress across different recruitment stages directly within your workspace

The CATS ATS MCP Server exposes 8 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Cursor in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.

How to Connect CATS ATS to Cursor via MCP

Follow these steps to integrate the CATS ATS MCP Server with Cursor.

Open MCP Settings

Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) → search "MCP Settings"

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above into the mcp.json file that opens

Save the file

Cursor will automatically detect the new MCP server

Start using CATS ATS

Open Agent mode in chat and ask: "Using CATS ATS, help me...". 8 tools available

Why Use Cursor with the CATS ATS MCP Server

Cursor AI Code Editor provides unique advantages when paired with CATS ATS through the Model Context Protocol.

Agent mode turns Cursor into an autonomous coding assistant that can read files, run commands, and call MCP tools without switching context

Cursor's Composer feature can generate entire files using real-time data fetched through MCP. no copy-pasting from external dashboards

MCP tools appear alongside built-in tools like file reading and terminal access, creating a unified agentic environment

VS Code extension compatibility means your existing workflow, keybindings, and extensions all work alongside MCP tools

CATS ATS + Cursor Use Cases

Practical scenarios where Cursor combined with the CATS ATS MCP Server delivers measurable value.

Code generation with live data: ask Cursor to generate a security report module using live DNS and subdomain data fetched through MCP

Automated documentation: have Cursor query your API's tool schemas and generate TypeScript interfaces or OpenAPI specs automatically

Infrastructure-as-code: Cursor can fetch domain configurations and generate corresponding Terraform or CloudFormation templates

Test scaffolding: ask Cursor to pull real API responses via MCP and generate unit test fixtures from actual data

CATS ATS MCP Tools for Cursor (8)

These 8 tools become available when you connect CATS ATS to Cursor via MCP:

get_candidate_details

Get detailed information for a specific candidate

get_job_details

Get detailed information for a specific job order

list_candidates

List recruitment candidates

list_job_orders

List job orders and open positions

list_recruitment_activities

List recent recruitment activities and notes

list_recruitment_companies

List client companies in the ATS

list_recruitment_contacts

List contacts associated with companies

search_candidates

Search for candidates using filters

Example Prompts for CATS ATS in Cursor

Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Cursor agent to start working with CATS ATS immediately.

"Search for candidates named 'Sarah' in my CATS ATS."

"What are the active job orders right now?"

"Show me the last 10 recruitment activities."

Troubleshooting CATS ATS MCP Server with Cursor

Common issues when connecting CATS ATS to Cursor through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.

Tools not appearing in Cursor

Ensure you are in Agent mode (not Ask mode). MCP tools only work in Agent mode.

Server shows as disconnected

Check Settings → Features → MCP and verify the server status. Try clicking the refresh button.

CATS ATS + Cursor FAQ

Common questions about integrating CATS ATS MCP Server with Cursor.

What is Agent mode and why does it matter for MCP?

Agent mode is Cursor's autonomous execution mode where the AI can perform multi-step tasks: reading files, editing code, running terminal commands, and calling MCP tools. Without Agent mode, Cursor operates in a simpler ask-and-answer mode that doesn't support tool calling. Always ensure you're in Agent mode when working with MCP servers.

Where does Cursor store MCP configuration?

Cursor looks for MCP server configurations in a mcp.json file. You can configure servers at the project level (.cursor/mcp.json in your project root) or globally (~/.cursor/mcp.json). Project-level configs take precedence.

Can Cursor use MCP tools in inline edits?

No. MCP tools are only available in Agent mode through the chat panel. Inline completions and Tab suggestions do not trigger MCP tool calls. This is by design. tool calls require user visibility and approval.

How do I verify MCP tools are loaded?

Open Settings → Features → MCP and look for your server name. A green indicator means the server is connected. You can also check Agent mode's available tools by clicking the tools dropdown in the chat panel.