2.2.0.25truefalse4210 - Disclosure - Environmental and Legal Matters (Details)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxis} : Shipment of Engines and Catalytic Converters Separately
7/1/2010 - 7/31/2010
USD ($)
$D2010Q3_M07_ShipmentOfEnginesAndCatalyticConvertersSeparatelyMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2010-07-01T00:00:002010-07-31T00:00:00falsefalseShipment of Engines and Catalytic Converters Separatelyus-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldicat_ShipmentOfEnginesAndCatalyticConvertersSeparatelyMemberus-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxis} : Release of Wastewater into the Des Plaines River
1/1/2010 - 1/31/2010
USD ($)
$D2010M01_ReleaseOfWastewaterIntoDesPlainesRiverMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-01-31T00:00:00falsefalseRelease of Wastewater into the Des Plaines Riverus-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldicat_ReleaseOfWastewaterIntoDesPlainesRiverMemberus-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$3falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxis} : Release of Wastewater into the Des Plaines River
2/1/2009 - 2/28/2009
D2009M02_ReleaseOfWastewaterIntoDesPlainesRiverMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2009-02-01T00:00:002009-02-28T00:00:00falsefalseRelease of Wastewater into the Des Plaines Riverus-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldicat_ReleaseOfWastewaterIntoDesPlainesRiverMemberus-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxisexplicitMemberGallonsStandardhttp://www.cat.com/20101231galcat0PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli04falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxis} : Release of Wastewater into the Perupont River
3/1/2010 - 3/31/2010
USD ($)
$D2010Q1_M03_ReleaseOfWastewaterIntoPerupontRiverMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2010-03-01T00:00:002010-03-31T00:00:00falsefalseRelease of Wastewater into the Perupont Riverus-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldicat_ReleaseOfWastewaterIntoPerupontRiverMemberus-gaap_SiteContingencyByNatureAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2true0us-gaap_SiteContingencyLineItemsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringLine items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.falsefalse3false0cat_AmountOfCivilPenaltyDemandcatfalsecreditdurationThe amount of civil penalty sought in penalty demand to the entity.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse32000003200000falsetruefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of civil penalty sought in penalty demand to the entity.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0cat_LikelyPenaltiesAmountThatCouldBeExceededcatfalsecreditdurationThe amount that penalties could likely exceed for alleged environmental violations.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse100000100000falsefalsefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4truefalsefalse100000100000falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount that penalties could likely exceed for alleged environmental violations.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse5false0cat_GallonsOfWasteWatercatfalsenadurationThe approximate number of gallons of wastewater that were released into the river by the entity.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse30003000falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherus-types:volumeItemTypedecimalThe approximate number of gallons of wastewater that were released into the river by the entity.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0cat_CountsOfEnvironmentalViolationscatfalsenadurationNumber of Counts of violations of state environmental laws and regulations filed in Complaint against entity.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse77falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:integerItemTypeintegerNumber of Counts of violations of state environmental laws and regulations filed in Complaint against entity.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0cat_CivilPenaltiesOnRevisedNoticecatfalsedebitdurationThis element represents the civil penalties as per the revised notice issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse2truefalsefalse167800167800falsetruefalsetruefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents the civil penalties as per the revised notice issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).No authoritative reference available.falsefalse46Environmental and Legal Matters (Details) (USD $)NoRoundingUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue
