Nanocrystalline undoped and Cd-doped γ-Fe 2 O 3 powders were synthesized by an anhydrous solvent method and characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron micrograph (TEM). The gas sensitivity measurements indicated that both the undoped (operated at 240°C) and the 5mol% Cd-doped γ-Fe 2 O 3 sensors (operated at 270°C) exhibited high response to acetone and ethanol, moderate response to petrol, poor response to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), H 2 and CO. Furthermore, the 5mol% Cd-doped γ-Fe 2 O 3 sensor presented shorter response and recovery times, better long-time stability, larger response and better selectivity to acetone and ethanol than the undoped sensor. The present undoped and Cd-doped γ-Fe 2 O 3 sensors obtained by an anhydrous solvent method were almost insensitive to LPG, while the reported γ-Fe 2 O 3 sensors prepared by a hydrous solution method were generally sensitive to LPG, suggesting that the preparation method played a key role in determining the gas sensing properties.