A natural biomass resin acid, colophony, was converted into a hydrogenated colophony over a nickel-based catalyst via catalytic hydrogenation in a 2 L stainless steel autoclave. This effective catalyst was derived from a layered double hydroxide precursor supported on spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst, and the physicochemical properties of this catalyst were characterized by XRD, SEM, and H2-TPD techniques. The effects of temperature, pressure, and reaction time, and, in particular, interactions among process variables, on the conversion of abietic-type acids (AA, the main component of colophony) were investigated by response surface modeling through experimental Box–Behnken design. Results showed that temperature exerts the most significant effect on AA conversion and that nearly 100% AA conversion could be achieved at 178 °C, H2 pressure of 5.4 MPa, and reaction time of 94 mins. The experimental value of AA conversion was 99.73% under these conditions.