Based on experimental inspiratory driving pressure waveforms and active respiratory impedance data of anesthetized cats, we made model predictions of the factors that determine the immediate (first loaded breath) intrinsic (i.e., nonneural) tidal volume compensation to added inspiratory elastic loads. The time course of driving pressure (P) was given by P = atb, where a is the pressure at 1 s from onset of inspiration and represents the intensity of neuromuscular drive, t is time, and b is an index of the shape of the driving pressure wave. For a given active respiratory impedance, tidal volume compensation to added elastic loads decreases with increasing inspiratory duration and decreasing value of b but is independent of a. We have also assessed the validity of the "effective elastance" (Lynne-Davies et al., J. Appl. Physiol. 30: 512-516, 1971) as a predictor of tidal volume responses to elastic loads. In absence of vagal feedback, the effective elastance appears to be a reliable predictor, except for short inspiratory duration and a very high intrinsic resistance.