2.2.0.25falsefalse4033 - Disclosure - Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management (Details 4)truefalseShare data in Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($)
$D2008Q4_M12http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2008-12-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDPerShareDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse2/1/2007 - 2/28/2007
USD ($)
$D2007M02http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2007-02-01T00:00:002007-02-28T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($)
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$4falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2007 - 12/31/2007
USD ($)
$D2007http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000018230duration2007-01-01T00:00:002007-12-31T00:00:00SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2true0cat_DisclosureDerivativeFinancialInstrumentsAndRiskManagementDisclosureAbstractcatfalsenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse3false0cat_StockRepurchaseProgramFundsAuthorizedcatfalsenadurationThe funds authorized by the board of directors for the repurchase of outstanding shares by the entity.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse75000000007500000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe funds authorized by the board of directors for the repurchase of outstanding shares by the entity.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCappedCallsAggregateSharesEnteredIntocatfalsenadurationIn connection with the stock repurchase program, the aggregate number of shares for which capped call transactions were...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse60000006falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesIn connection with the stock repurchase program, the aggregate number of shares for which capped call transactions were entered into.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse5false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCappedCallsCumulativePaymentToEstablishCallscatfalsecreditinstantThe amount paid during the period to bank to establish the capped calls.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse9400000094000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse9400000094000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount paid during the period to bank to establish the capped calls.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCumulativeCappedCallsEstablishedSharescatfalsenainstantThe number of shares for which capped calls were established during the period.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse60000006falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse60000006falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe number of shares for which capped calls were established during the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCappedCallsPaymentToEstablishCallscatfalsecreditdurationThe amount paid during the period to bank to establish the capped calls.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse3800000038000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount paid during the period to bank to establish the capped calls.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCappedCallsEstablishedSharescatfalsenadurationThe number of shares for which capped calls were established during the period.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse25000002.5falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe number of shares for which capped calls were established during the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCappedCallsCashUsedForShareRepurchasecatfalsecreditdurationThe amount of cash used to repurchase shares during the period utilizing the capped calls and under the share repurchase...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse268000000268000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of cash used to repurchase shares during the period utilizing the capped calls and under the share repurchase program.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse10false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCappedCallsSharesRepurchasedcatfalsenadurationThe number of shares which were repurchased during the period utilizing the capped calls.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse50000005falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe number of shares which were repurchased during the period utilizing the capped calls.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse11false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCappedCallsPremiumsPaidForExercisedCallscatfalsecreditdurationThe amount of premiums associated with the capped calls exercised for stock repurchases previously paid under the program.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse7800000078000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of premiums associated with the capped calls exercised for stock repurchases previously paid under the program.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse12false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCappedCallsMaturedButNotExercisedcatfalsenadurationThis element represents the share repurchase plan calls matured but not exercised during the period.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse10000001falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThis element represents the share repurchase plan calls matured but not exercised during the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse13false0cat_ShareRepurchaseProgramCappedCallsPremiumsPaidForUnexercisedCallscatfalsecreditdurationThe amount of premiums associated with the unexercised capped calls for stock repurchases previously paid under the program.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse1600000016000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of premiums associated with the unexercised capped calls for stock repurchases previously paid under the program.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse412Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management (Details 4) (USD $)NoRoundingHundredThousandsUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
