It was found experimentally that stacking defects formed in the mechanochemical activation of zinc ferrite enhanced the specific catalytic activity in the reaction of CO oxidation. The specific rate of CO oxidation was a linear function of defect concentration, which was determined using Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. A conclusion was drawn that the same centers are responsible for an increase in the catalytic activity, the sorption capacity for hydrogen sulfide, and the reactivity of zinc ferrite in the interaction with hydrochloric acid. It was assumed that analogous factors caused an increase in the catalytic activity and reactivity of magnesium ferrite.