<PAGE>

AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 14, 1997 
                                                     REGISTRATION NO. 033-89242
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                                WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                ----------------------

                                       FORM S-8
                                REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                        UNDER
                              THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                              --------------------------

                                  C-ATS SOFTWARE INC.
                (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

         DELAWARE                                                77-0185283
(STATE OF OTHER JURISDICTION OF                               (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
 INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)                              IDENTIFICATION NO.)



                                1870 EMBARCADERO ROAD
                                 PALO ALTO, CA 94303
                  (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES, ZIP CODE)

                              ------------------------


                                  1995 STOCK PLAN

                              (FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN)

                              ------------------------


                                  ROD A. BECKSTROM
                              CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                             AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

                                 C-ATS SOFTWARE INC.
                               1870 EMBARCADERO ROAD
                                PALO ALTO, CA 94303
                                  (415) 321-3000
(NAME, ADDRESS, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)

                              ------------------------

                                     COPY TO:

                              MICHAEL J. DANAHER, ESQ.
                          WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI 
                              PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
                                 650 PAGE MILL ROAD
                                PALO ALTO, CA 94304
                                   (415) 493-9300

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE OF SECURITIES   AMOUNT TO BE REGISTERED      PROPOSED MAXIMUM              PROPOSED MAXIMUM             AMOUNT OF
TO BE REGISTERED                                OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE      AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE     REGISTRATION FEE
<S>                   <C>                        <C>                          <C>                          <C>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1995 Stock Plan             2,000,000                  $ 6.625                    $ 13,250,000.00 (2)          $ 4,015.15
Common Stock,
 no par value (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Total                2,000,000                     N/A                     $ 13,250,000.00              $ 4,015.15
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

</TABLE>

(1) In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to 
be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plans described herein.

(2) Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The computation is 
based upon the closing price of the Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq 
National Market on August 8, 1997 because the price at which the options to be 
granted in the future may be exercised is not currently determinable.

<PAGE>

STATEMENT UNDER GENERAL INSTRUCTION E  -  REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES.

    The Registrant previously filed one Registration Statement on Form S-8 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 33-89242 the 
"Previous Form S-8").  The Previous Form S-8 was filed in connection with the 
1988 Incentive Stock Plan, the 1995 Stock Plan, the 1995 Director Option Plan 
and the 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.  This Registration Statement 
registers additional shares of the Registrant's Common Stock to be issued 
pursuant to the 1995 Stock Plan.  Accordingly, the contents of the Previous 
Form S-8, including periodic reports that the Registrant filed after the 
Previous Form S-8 to maintain current information about the Registrant, are 
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement pursuant to 
General Instruction E of Form S-8.  The reports the Registrant has most 
recently filed with the SEC are listed below:

    -    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
         1996, filed as of March 31, 1997.

    -    Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31,
         1997, filed as of May 14, 1997.

    -    Proxy Statement, filed as of April 22, 1997 in connection with the
         Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 20, 1997.

                                     PART II

                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

     5.1  Opinion of counsel as to legality of Securities being registered.

    23.1 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Accountants.

    23.2 Consent of counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

    24.1 Power of Attorney (see page 5).

                                       -3-


<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Palo Alto, State of California, on this 14th day of
August, 1997.


                                        C-ATS SOFTWARE INC.


                                        By:   /s/ DAVID GILBERT
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              David Gilbert
                                              President, Chief Financial Officer
                                              and Chief Operating Officer


                                        By:   /s/ ROD A. BECKSTROM
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Rod A. Beckstrom
                                              Chief Executive Officer and
                                              Chairman of the Board

                                        -4-

<PAGE>

                                 POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature 
appears below constitutes and appoints David Gilbert and Rod A. Beckstrom, 
jointly and severally, his attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of 
substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to 
this Registration Statement on Form S-8 and to file the same, with exhibits 
thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and 
Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said 
attorney-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be 
done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

   Signatures                     Title                               Date
-----------------       ---------------------------              ---------------

/s/ ROD A. BECKSTROM    Chief Executive Officer and              August 14, 1997
--------------------    Chairman of the Board
  Rod A. Beckstrom      (Principal Executive Officer)


/s/ DAVID GILBERT       President, Chief Financial Officer       August 14, 1997
-----------------       and Chief Operating Officer 
  David Gilbert         (Principal Financial and Accounting 
                        Officer)

/s/ MARIO M. ROSATI     Director and Secretary                   August 14, 1997
--------------------
   Mario M. Rosati

/s/ ROBERT L. GESKE     Director and Officer                     August 14, 1997
-------------------
   Robert L. Geske

/s/ MANUEL CORREIA      Director                                 August 14, 1997
--------------------
   Manuel Correia

/s/ MARK P. KALKUS      Director                                 August 14, 1997
-------------------
   Mark P. Kalkus

/s/ ANDREW S. RACHLEFF  Director                                 August 14, 1997
-----------------------
   Andrew S. Rachleff
                                        -5-

<PAGE>

                                  INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number                         Description of Document 
-------  -------------------------------------------------------------------

  5.1    Opinion of counsel as to legality of Securities being registered.

 23.1    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Public Accountants.

 23.2    Consent of counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

 24.1    Power of Attorney (see page 5).
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 10314}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "C ATS SOFTWARE INC", "cik": "0000937266", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "770185283", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-33609", "film-number": "97662057"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1731 EMBARCADERO RD", "city": "PALO ALTO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94303", "phone": "4153213000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1870 EMBARCADERO RD", "city": "PALO ATO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94303"}}
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 14, 1997 
                                                     REGISTRATION NO. 033-89242
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                                WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                ----------------------

                                       FORM S-8
                                REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                        UNDER
                              THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                              --------------------------

                                  C-ATS SOFTWARE INC.
                (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

         DELAWARE                                                77-0185283
(STATE OF OTHER JURISDICTION OF                               (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
 INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)                              IDENTIFICATION NO.)

                                1870 EMBARCADERO ROAD
                                 PALO ALTO, CA 94303
                  (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES, ZIP CODE)

                              ------------------------

                                  1995 STOCK PLAN

                              (FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN)

                              ------------------------

                                  ROD A. BECKSTROM
                              CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                             AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

                                 C-ATS SOFTWARE INC.
                               1870 EMBARCADERO ROAD
                                PALO ALTO, CA 94303
                                  (415) 321-3000
(NAME, ADDRESS, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)

                              ------------------------

                                     COPY TO:

                              MICHAEL J. DANAHER, ESQ.
                          WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI 
                              PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
                                 650 PAGE MILL ROAD
                                PALO ALTO, CA 94304
                                   (415) 493-9300

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TITLE OF SECURITIES   AMOUNT TO BE REGISTERED      PROPOSED MAXIMUM              PROPOSED MAXIMUM             AMOUNT OF
TO BE REGISTERED                                OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE      AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE     REGISTRATION FEE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1995 Stock Plan             2,000,000                  $ 6.625                    $ 13,250,000.00 (2)          $ 4,015.15
Common Stock,
 no par value (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Total                2,000,000                     N/A                     $ 13,250,000.00              $ 4,015.15
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to 
be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plans described herein.

(2) Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The computation is 
based upon the closing price of the Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq 
National Market on August 8, 1997 because the price at which the options to be 
granted in the future may be exercised is not currently determinable.
STATEMENT UNDER GENERAL INSTRUCTION E  -  REGISTRATION OF ADDITIONAL SECURITIES.

    The Registrant previously filed one Registration Statement on Form S-8 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC File No. 33-89242 the 
"Previous Form S-8").  The Previous Form S-8 was filed in connection with the 
1988 Incentive Stock Plan, the 1995 Stock Plan, the 1995 Director Option Plan 
and the 1995 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.  This Registration Statement 
registers additional shares of the Registrant's Common Stock to be issued 
pursuant to the 1995 Stock Plan.  Accordingly, the contents of the Previous 
Form S-8, including periodic reports that the Registrant filed after the 
Previous Form S-8 to maintain current information about the Registrant, are 
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement pursuant to 
General Instruction E of Form S-8.  The reports the Registrant has most 
recently filed with the SEC are listed below:

    -    Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
         1996, filed as of March 31, 1997.

    -    Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31,
         1997, filed as of May 14, 1997.

    -    Proxy Statement, filed as of April 22, 1997 in connection with the
         Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 20, 1997.

                                     PART II

                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

     5.1  Opinion of counsel as to legality of Securities being registered.

    23.1 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Accountants.

    23.2 Consent of counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

    24.1 Power of Attorney (see page 5).

                                       -3-
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Palo Alto, State of California, on this 14th day of
August, 1997.

                                        C-ATS SOFTWARE INC.

                                        By:   /s/ DAVID GILBERT
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              David Gilbert
                                              President, Chief Financial Officer
                                              and Chief Operating Officer

                                        By:   /s/ ROD A. BECKSTROM
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Rod A. Beckstrom
                                              Chief Executive Officer and
                                              Chairman of the Board

                                        -4-
POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature 
appears below constitutes and appoints David Gilbert and Rod A. Beckstrom, 
jointly and severally, his attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of 
substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to 
this Registration Statement on Form S-8 and to file the same, with exhibits 
thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and 
Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said 
attorney-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be 
done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

   Signatures                     Title                               Date
-----------------       ---------------------------              ---------------

/s/ ROD A. BECKSTROM    Chief Executive Officer and              August 14, 1997
--------------------    Chairman of the Board
  Rod A. Beckstrom      (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ DAVID GILBERT       President, Chief Financial Officer       August 14, 1997
-----------------       and Chief Operating Officer 
  David Gilbert         (Principal Financial and Accounting 
                        Officer)

/s/ MARIO M. ROSATI     Director and Secretary                   August 14, 1997
--------------------
   Mario M. Rosati

/s/ ROBERT L. GESKE     Director and Officer                     August 14, 1997
-------------------
   Robert L. Geske

/s/ MANUEL CORREIA      Director                                 August 14, 1997
--------------------
   Manuel Correia

/s/ MARK P. KALKUS      Director                                 August 14, 1997
-------------------
   Mark P. Kalkus

/s/ ANDREW S. RACHLEFF  Director                                 August 14, 1997
-----------------------
   Andrew S. Rachleff
                                        -5-
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number                         Description of Document 
-------  -------------------------------------------------------------------

  5.1    Opinion of counsel as to legality of Securities being registered.

 23.1    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP, Independent Public Accountants.

 23.2    Consent of counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

 24.1    Power of Attorney (see page 5).