The invention provides a composite cathode active material, a cathode and a lithium battery including the composite cathode active material, and a method of preparing the composite cathode active material. The composite cathode active material includes: a core including a first lithium transition metal oxide represented by Formula 1 LiaMO2, wherein, in Formula 1, M includes Ni and at least one non-nickel Group 4 to Group 13 element, a content of Ni is about 70 mol % or greater, based on a total content of M, 0.9<=a<=1.1, and wherein the first lithium transition metal oxide has a layered crystal structure belonging to an R3m space group; and a shell on a surface of the core, the shell having a spinel crystal structure and including a dopant.