-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 C1MGa6NohHJ372edHp2Enf42ym8voL0Y3SuvOMzwhdTbn+hZlMVjilh+vyd90QxN
 aFKVxsmwlRy69Rr50jb6ZA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000018230-03-000302.txt : 20030722
<SEC-HEADER>0000018230-03-000302.hdr.sgml : 20030722
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030722135333
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000018230-03-000302
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030718
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030722

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CATERPILLAR INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000018230
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY & EQUIP [3531]
		IRS NUMBER:				370602744
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 NE ADAMS ST
		CITY:			PEORIA
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			61629
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3096751000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 NE ADAMS ST
		CITY:			PEORIA
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			61629

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	CATERPILLAR TRACTOR CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19860623

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			THOMPSON RICHARD L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001122800

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-00768
		FILM NUMBER:		03796144

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CATERPILLAR INC.
		STREET 2:		100 N.E. ADAMS STREET
		CITY:			PEORIA
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			61629-7250
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9724975326

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CATERPILLAR INC.
		STREET 2:		100 N.E. ADAMS STREET
		CITY:			PEORIA
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			61629-7250
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-18</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000018230</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CATERPILLAR INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CAT</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001122800</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>THOMPSON RICHARD L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Group President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1734</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>38.4063</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>86424</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></owners
hipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1030</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>64.63</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>85394</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-18</value></transactionDate
><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>34266</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>38.4063</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>119660</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><t
ransactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>24456</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>64.63</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>95204</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>38.4063</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares
><value>1734</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-06-12</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1734</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>38.4063</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transacti
onDate><value>2003-07-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>34266</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-06-12</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>34266</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></n
atureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This amount includes 12,055 shares in EIP-1, 6059 shares in 401K, 7317 shares in SEIP and 5816 shares in dividend reinvestment.  In addition, 25,039 shares are held indirectly by wife (this amount includes 3667 shares in dividend reinvestment.)</footnote><footnote id="F2">(Right to Buy) with tandem tax withholding rights.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Exercisable in thirds - 1/3 after 1 yr.; 1/3 after 2 yrs.; 1/3 after 3 yrs.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Richard L. Thompson; L.J. Huxtable, POA</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-22</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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