A　series　of　CeO2　supports　were　firstly　prepared　by　precipitation　method　with　NH3H2O　(NH),　(NH4)　2CO3　(NC)　and　K2CO3　(KC)　as　precipitant,　respectively,　and　then　CuO/CeO2　catalysts　were　fabricated　by　depositing　CuO　on　the　as-obtained　CeO2　supports　by　deposition-precipitation　method.　The　effect　of　CeO2　supports　prepared　from　different　precipitants　on　the　catalytic　performance,　physical　and　chemical　properties　of　CuO/CeO2　catalysts　was　investigated　with　the　aid　of　XRD,　N2-physisorption,　N2O　chemisorption,　FT-IR,　TG,　H2-TPR,　CO2-TPD　and　cyclic　voltammetry　(CV)　characterizations.　The　CuO/CeO2　catalysts　were　examined　with　respect　to　their　catalytic　performance　for　the　water-gas　shift　reaction,　and　their　catalytic　activities　and　stabilities　are　ranked　as:　CuO/CeO2-NH　＞　CuO/CeO2-NC　＞　CuO/CeO2-KC.　Correlating　to　the　characteristic　results,　it　is　found　that　the　CeO2　support　prepared　by　precipitation　with　NH3H2O　as　precipitant　(i.e.,　CeO　2-NH-300)　has　the　best　thermal　stability　and　least　surface　＇carbonate-like＇　species,　which　make　the　corresponding　CuO/CeO　2-NH　catalyst　presents　the　highest　Cu-dispersion,　the　highest　microstrain　(i.e.,　the　highest　surface　energy)　of　CuO,　the　strongest　reducibility　and　the　weakest　basicity.　While,　the　precipitants　that　contain　CO32-　(e.g.　(NH4)2CO3　and　K2CO3)　result　in　more　surface　＇carbonate-like＇　species　of　CeO2　supports　and　CuO/CeO2　catalysts.　As　a　result,　CuO/CeO2-NC　and　CuO/CeO2-KC　catalysts　present　poor　catalytic　performance.　©　2011,　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications,　LLC.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.