Fluidizable catalysts for the gas phase oxygen-free oxidative cracking of alkanes, such as hexane, to one or more olefins, such as ethylene, propylene, and/or butylene. The catalysts comprise 1-15% by weight per total catalyst weight of one or more vanadium oxides (VOx), such as V2O5. The catalysts are disposed on an alumina support that is modified with cerium to influence catalyst acidity and characteristics of lattice oxygen at the catalyst surface. Various methods of preparing and characterizing the catalyst as well as methods for the gas phase oxygen free oxidative cracking of alkanes, such as hexane, to one or more olefins, such as ethylene, propylene, and/or butylene with improved alkane conversion and olefins product selectivity are also disclosed.