The engine-out flow is highly transient and hot, and may place tremendous thermal and inertial loads on a closed-coupled catalyst. Therefore, time-dependent and detailed flow and thermal field simulation may be crucial. The aim of this study is to develop combined chemical reaction and multi-dimensional fluid dynamic mathematical model and to study the effect of unsteady pulsating thermal and flow characteristics on thermal reliability of closed-coupled catalyst. The effect of cell density on the conversion performance under real running condition is also investigated. Unlike previous studies, the present study focuses on coupling between the problems of pulsating flow pattern and catalyst thermal response and conversion efficiency. The results are expressed in terms of temporal evolution of flow, pollutant and temperature distribution as well as transient characteristics of conversion efficiency. Fundamental understanding of the flow and thermal phenomena of closed-coupled catalyst under real running condition is presented. It is shown that instants of significantly low values of flow uniformity and conversion efficiency exist during exhaust blowdown and the temporal varaition of flow uniformity is very similar in pattern to one of conversion efficiency. It is also found that the location of hot spot in monolith is directly affected by transient flow pattern in closed-coupled catalyst.