Catalytic properties of Ni-Zr$O_2$ catalysts prepared by coprecipitation have been studied for the gas-phase hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene to butenes. The coprecipitation method led to the solid solution of Ni-Zr$O_2$, which contains highly resistant Ni species to thermal reduction with H2. Nickel species of the solid solution were highly dispersed in the ZrO2 lattice, so that the reduced catalysts were selective for hydrogenation of 1,3-butadiene to butenes (99.9%) even in the presence of 1-butene.