A new fuel composition useful for catalytic fuel cells is made up of at least two components. The primary fuel component is a surface-active compound, such as methanol, that is a source of and acts to prevent unwanted decomposition of the auxiliary fuel. The auxiliary fuel is a hydrogen-containing inorganic compound with a high reduction potential, such as NaBH4, which acts as a highly reactive source of energy and serves to catalyze the catalytic oxidation of the primary fuel.