2.2.0.25falsefalse4190 - Disclosure - Operating leases (Details)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$D2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$D2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$D2008http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0cat_OperatingLeasesDisclosureAbstractcatfalsenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse3false0cat_OperatingLeasesRentExpenseNetcatfalsedebitdurationRental expense for the reporting period incurred under operating leases, including minimum and any contingent rent expense,...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse359000000359falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse381000000381falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse402000000402falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRental expense for the reporting period incurred under operating leases, including minimum and any contingent rent expense, net of related sublease income.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4true0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse5false0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrentus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse284000000284falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryFor leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within one year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 122
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph b(i)
falsefalse6false0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYearsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse228000000228falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryFor leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within the second year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 122
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph b(i)
falsefalse7false0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYearsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse177000000177falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryFor leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within the third year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 122
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph b(i)
falsefalse8false0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYearsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse156000000156falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryFor leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within the fourth year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 122
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph b(i)
falsefalse9false0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYearsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse124000000124falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryFor leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within the fifth year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 122
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph b(i)
falsefalse10false0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafterus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse379000000379falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryFor leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due after the fifth year from the balance sheet date on leases defined as operating.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 122
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph b(i)
falsefalse11false0us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse13480000001348falsetruefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe total of future contractually required payments on leases defined as operating.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 122
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 13
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph b(i)
truefalse310Operating leases (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
