To provide an exhaust gas purifying catalyst constituted so as to achieve early catalytic activation by utilizing a chemical heat accumulating agent capable of selecting heat generation and heat absorption by reversible oxidation-reduction reaction, low in pressure loss and capable of achieving the early catalytic activation by efficiently utilizing the heat generated by the chemical heat accumulating agent.

A ceramic catalyst carrier 10 includes a honeycomb or monolithic structure having a large number of cells C1 demarcated by porous cell walls WC comprising a ceramic material and parallel to a gas flow. A coating layer having a predetermined geometrical surface area GSA, film thickness t1 and weight W1 is formed on the surfaces of the cell walls WC using the chemical heat accumulating agent 11 bringing about the reversible chemical reaction with steam or carbon dioxide contained in exhaust gas and a catalyst 12, which is activated at predetermined temperature or above and purifies the exhaust gas, is supported on the coating layer.