An exhaust gas purifying catalyst for purifying exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle. The exhaust gas purifying catalyst comprises a substrate on which a catalytic coat layer containing a catalyst component is formed. The catalytic coat layer is formed by coating a slurry containing the catalyst component on a surface of the substrate. A crack-preventing coat layer is formed on an upper-most surface of the catalytic coat layer. The crack-preventing coat layer has a thickness of not larger than 50 .mu.m.