The adsorption and reaction characteristics of methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen have been investigated over a ZrO2 support and a Pt/ZrO2 catalyst by using a temporal analysis of products reactor system. It was observed that on Pt/ZrO2 both methane and carbon dioxide dissociate independently of one another. The dissociation of carbon dioxide acts as an oxygen supplier, while the decomposition products of methane scavenge the oxygen from the catalyst. When an abundance of oxygen is present, pulsing of methane leads to the production of carbon dioxide. It is concluded that both the selectivity with which methane produces carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide and the carbon dioxide conversion is determined by the same reaction : COads + O-ads double left right arrow CO2,ads.