Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management- Fair value hedges (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Derivatives Fair Value
Carrying Value of the Hedged Liabilities	$ 5,227	$ 4,173
Cumulative Amount of Fair Value Hedging Adjustment Included in the Carrying Value of the Hedged Liabilities	(179)	(280)
Long-term debt due within one year
Derivatives Fair Value
Carrying Value of the Hedged Liabilities	982	0
Cumulative Amount of Fair Value Hedging Adjustment Included in the Carrying Value of the Hedged Liabilities	(23)	0
Long-term debt due after one year
Derivatives Fair Value
Carrying Value of the Hedged Liabilities	4,245	4,173
Cumulative Amount of Fair Value Hedging Adjustment Included in the Carrying Value of the Hedged Liabilities	$ (156)	$ (280)

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of liability hedged in fair value hedging relationship.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4EE
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480434/815-10-50-4EE

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgedLiabilityFairValueHedge
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cumulative increase (decrease) in fair value of hedged liability in fair value hedge, attributable to hedged risk.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4EE
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480434/815-10-50-4EE

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgedLiabilityFairValueHedgeCumulativeIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=cat_LongTermDebtDueWithinOneYearMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=cat_LongTermDebtDueAfterOneYearMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: