Other Income (Expense) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025	Mar. 31, 2024
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Investment and interest income	$ 99	$ 136
Foreign exchange gains (losses)	(18)	42
License fee income	35	34
Net periodic pension and OPEB income (cost), excluding service cost	11	3
Gains (losses) on securities	3	17
Miscellaneous income (loss)	(23)	(76)
Total	$ 107	$ 156

This element represents the miscellaneous nonoperating income and loss incurred during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	cat_MiscellaneousIncomeLossNonoperating
Namespace Prefix:	cat_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for net periodic pension and postretirement costs excluding the current service cost component. Includes, but is not limited to, interest cost, actual return on plan assets, amortization of loss (gain), amortization of prior service cost (credit), amortization of transition obligation (asset), loss (gain) from a settlement or curtailment, and certain termination benefits.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cat_NetperiodicpensionandOPEBincomecostexcludingservicecost
Namespace Prefix:	cat_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrealized and realized gain (loss) on investment in debt and equity securities.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtAndEquitySecuritiesGainLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before tax, of realized and unrealized gain (loss) from foreign currency transaction.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07(7))
-Publisher FASB
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 35
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482014/830-20-35-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481956/830-20-45-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481926/830-20-50-1

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 17
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481839/830-10-45-17

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after accretion (amortization) of discount (premium), and investment expense, of interest income and dividend income on nonoperating securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(8))
-Publisher FASB
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Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(7)(a))
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-Publisher FASB
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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of income (expense) related to nonoperating activities, classified as other.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Ancillary revenue earned during the period from the consideration paid to the entity for the use of its rights and property by another party. Examples include licensing the use of copyrighted materials and leasing the extraction of natural resources.

+ References

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration