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Art Scene: A Man and a Cat Named Yitz

Nicknamed the Shillman Cat, this statue has been very popular since it was first placed outside Shillman Hall in 2011.

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A photograph of the The Robert J. Shillman and Yitz the cat statue.
The Robert J. Shillman and Yitz the cat statue sits outside Shillman Hall. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

Title: A Man and a Cat Named Yitz (aka Shillman Cat)

Artist: Robert Shure

Materials: Bronze

Location: Robert J. Shillman Hall, 115 Forsyth St, Boston, MA 02115
When a statue of a man and his cat appeared outside Shillman Hall overnight in February 2011, it inspired a bit of a frenzy. The statue, nicknamed the Shillman Cat, inspired news coverage, Halloween costumes and plenty of photographs. Even 14 years after its installation, the man and, particularly, his cat still have plenty of fans who visit them on the way to class at Shillman Hall or when just strolling around the Boston campus.

A closeup of the cat portion of the Shillman Cat statue. The cat has a bronze-colored forehead from where it has been pet.
08/05/25 – BOSTON, MA. – The Robert J. Shillman and Yitz the cat statue sits outside Shillman Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
The Shillman Cat statue. Robert J. Shillman sits with one hand on his knee and one hand on Yitz the cat, who looks up proudly.
08/05/25 – BOSTON, MA. – The Robert J. Shillman and Yitz the cat statue sits outside Shillman Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University
The Man and a Cat Named Yitz statue was placed outside Shillman Hall in 2011. Photos by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

The Shillman Cat’s true name is actually Yitz, and the man depicted next to him is his owner, businessman, Northeastern graduate, and trustee emeritus Robert Shillman, for whom the building is named.

Despite his huge impact on the business world and university, Shure said he was struck by Shillman’s open nature when he met him and so, he was inspired to sculpt him in a natural way when a piece in his likeness was commissioned by the university.

“I came up with the idea, since he was such a casual guy, of him just sitting on a bench so that people could sit next to him and (take) photographs,” Shure said. “He came over to my studio and I actually used him as the model. I photographed him sitting on a bench from different angles and from that, made the sculpture. And he was the nicest guy ever.”

Shure said it was Shillman’s idea to include his pet cat in the sculpture, so Shure sculpted his cat, Yitz, based on photos of the pet. 

Despite never having actually met the cat, the sculpture Shure created has taken on a life of its own on the Boston campus, becoming an icon that’s only second to the Northeastern Husky (the sculpture of which Shure also designed).

“I try to do things that become iconic, that people can relate to, and (are) interactive,” Shure said. “This sculpture was very special to me. I’m glad that people really identify with it and have adopted it as their favorite.”