2.2.0.25falsefalse4063 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 4)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$3true0cat_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesRollForwardcatfalsenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse4false0cat_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossescatfalsecreditinstantA valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruefalsefalseperiodstartlabel1truefalsefalse376000000376falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse391000000391falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse351000000351falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryA valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse5false0cat_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesAdjustmentToAdoptConsolidationOfVariableInterestEntitiescatfalsecreditdurationAdjustment to the allowance for credit losses related to adoption on consolidation of variable-interest entities.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse1800000018falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAdjustment to the allowance for credit losses related to adoption on consolidation of variable-interest entities.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0cat_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesProvisionscatfalsecreditdurationCharge to expense for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse205000000205falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse225000000225falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse192000000192falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCharge to expense for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0cat_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesWriteOffscatfalsedebitdurationReduction to the allowance for credit losses related to financing receivables deemed uncollectible.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegated1truefalsefalse-288000000-288falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-281000000-281falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-144000000-144falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryReduction to the allowance for credit losses related to financing receivables deemed uncollectible.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0cat_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesRecoveriescatfalsedebitdurationReduction to the allowance for credit losses related to collections on financing receivables which have been partially or...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegated1truefalsefalse5100000051falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse2800000028falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse2300000023falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryReduction to the allowance for credit losses related to collections on financing receivables which have been partially or fully charged off as bad debts.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0cat_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesOtherActivitycatfalsedebitdurationThis element represents the other activity, net, in the allowance for credit loss during the period not otherwise defined in...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1300000013falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-31000000-31falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents the other activity, net, in the allowance for credit loss during the period not otherwise defined in the taxonomy.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse10false0cat_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossescatfalsecreditinstantA valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruefalseperiodendlabel1truefalsefalse362000000362falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse376000000376falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse391000000391falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryA valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse38Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details 4) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
