2.2.0.25falsefalse4040 - Disclosure - Other income (expense) (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_OtherIncomeAndOtherExpenseDisclosureAbstractcatfalsenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse3false0us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeNetus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse8600000086falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse9800000098falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse101000000101falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis item represents investment income derived from investments in debt and equity securities consisting of interest income earned from investments in debt securities and on cash and cash equivalents, dividend income from investments in equity securities, and income or expense derived from the amortization of investment related discounts or premiums, respectively, net of related investment expenses. This item does not include realized or unrealized gains or losses on the sale or holding of investments in debt and equity securities required to be included in earnings for the period or for other than temporary losses related to investments in debt and equity securities which are included in realized losses in the period recognized, and does not include investment income from real or personal property, such as rental income.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)
-Number FAS115-1/124-1
-Paragraph 13, 14, 15, 16
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 115
-Paragraph 14, 16
falsefalse4false0us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTaxus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse-55000000-55falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse184000000184falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse100000000100falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe aggregate foreign currency transaction gain or loss (both realized and unrealized) included in determining net income for the reporting period. Excludes foreign currency transactions designated as hedges of net investment in a foreign entity and intercompany foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term nature, when the entities to the transaction are consolidated, combined, or accounted for by the equity method in the reporting enterprise's financial statements. For certain enterprises, primarily banks, that are dealers in foreign exchange, foreign currency transaction gains or losses may be disclosed as dealer gains or losses.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 52
-Paragraph 30
falsefalse5false0us-gaap_LicensesRevenueus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse5400000054falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse4900000049falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse7300000073falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRevenue earned during the period relating to consideration received from another party for the right to use, but not own, certain of the entity's intangible assets. Licensing arrangements include, but are not limited to, rights to use a patent, copyright, technology, manufacturing process, software or trademark. Licensing fees are generally, but not always, fixed as to amount and not dependent upon the revenue generated by the licensing party. An entity may receive licensing fees for licenses that also generate royalty payments to the entity.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0cat_GainLossOnInvestmentsExcludingOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentscatfalsecreditdurationThis item represents the net total realized and unrealized gain (loss) included in earnings for the period as a result of...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse90000009falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-2000000-2falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse5500000055falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis item represents the net total realized and unrealized gain (loss) included in earnings for the period as a result of selling or holding marketable securities categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity, including the unrealized holding gain or loss of held-to-maturity securities transferred to the trading security category and the cumulative unrealized gain or loss which was included in other comprehensive income (a separate component of shareholders' equity) for available-for-sale securities transferred to trading securities during the period. Additionally, this item would include any gains or losses realized during the period from the sale of investments accounted for under the cost method of accounting.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0cat_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNetcatfalsedebitdurationThe amount of other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses on equity securities, OTTI related to credit losses on debt...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegated1truefalsefalse-3000000-3falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-12000000-12falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-37000000-37falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses on equity securities, OTTI related to credit losses on debt securities, and OTTI losses on debt securities when the entity intends to sell the securities or it is more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell the securities before recovery of its amortized cost basis. Additionally, this item includes OTTI losses recognized during the period on investments accounted for under the cost method of accounting.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0cat_MiscellaneousIncomeLossNonoperatingcatfalsecreditdurationThis element represents the miscellaneous nonoperating income and loss incurred during the period.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse3900000039falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse6400000064falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse3500000035falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents the miscellaneous nonoperating income and loss incurred during the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpenseus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse130000000130falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse381000000381falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse327000000327falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe net amount of other nonoperating income and expense, which does not qualify for separate disclosure on the income statement under materiality guidelines.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 9
-Article 5
truefalse38Other income (expense) (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
