The decomposition of methane on Ni/α-Al2O3 modified by La2O3 and CeO2 with different contents has been investigated and the ralationship between methane decomposition and removal of carbon by CO2 over these catalyst has also been studied by pulse-chromatography. The catalysts were characterized by TPR and XRD. It was shown that Ni/α-Al2O3 could be promoted by adding La2O3, and the carbon species produced over this catalyst was activated and eliminated by CO2. But CeO2 would suppress the decomposition of methane over Ni crystallite. Both La2O3 and CeO2 can inhibit aggregation of the Ni particles. Decomposition of methane over the Ni-based catalysts is structure sensitive to a certain extent.