Please use registry variable for this case.
<?php if (Mage::app()->getFrontController()->getRequest()->getControllerName() == 'category') :
if ($_category = Mage::registry('current_category')) :
$_helper = Mage::helper('catalog/output');
?>
<h1 class="title"><?php echo $_helper->categoryAttribute($_category, $_category->getName(), 'name') ?></h1>
<?php echo $_category->getProductCollection()->getFirstItem()->getName(); ?>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php endif ;?>