Other income (expense) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Investment and interest income	$ 36	$ 22
Foreign exchange gains (losses)	(19)	(48)
License fee income	31	22
Net periodic pension and OPEB income (cost), excluding service cost	86	37
Miscellaneous income (loss)	(7)	(1)
Other income (expense)	$ 127	$ 32

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 before tax of foreign currency transaction realized and unrealized gain (loss) recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450222&loc=d3e30840-110895

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64836518&loc=d3e30700-110894

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64836518&loc=d3e30690-110894

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.8)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(a),(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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

- Definition

Revenue 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.

+ References

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherIncomeAndExpensesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

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