A fluid catalytic cracking catalyst made from microspheres that initially contain kaolin, a dispersible boehmite alumina and a sodium silicate or silica sol binder. The kaolin portion contains hydrous kaolin and optionally spinel, or mullite, or both spinel and mullite made via kaolin which has been calcined through its characteristic exotherm. Calcination of the hydrous clay to metakaolin and formation of in-situ zeolite by treatment with sodium silicate yields a catalyst containing Y-faujasite and transforms the dispersible boehmite into a transitional alumina. The catalyst can be used to crack resid or resid-containing feeds as the alumina phase formed from the dispersible boehmite passivates nickel and vanadium contaminants.