Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets
Cash and due from banks	$ 201,815	$ 144,909
Short-term investments and interest bearing deposits	389,024	411,983
Securities held-to-maturity (market value of $823,906 in 2012)		773,768
Securities available-for-sale (amortized cost of $1,779,859 in 2013 and $1,290,676 in 2012)	1,743,309	1,291,480
Trading securities	4,855	4,703
Loans	7,832,013	7,429,147
Less: Allowance for loan losses	(181,452)	(183,322)
Unamortized deferred loan fees, net	(12,933)	(10,238)
Loans, net	7,637,628	7,235,587
Federal Home Loan Bank stock	28,683	41,272
Other real estate owned, net	49,777	46,384
Affordable housing investments, net	86,381	85,037
Premises and equipment, net	102,379	102,613
Customers’ liability on acceptances	42,533	41,271
Accrued interest receivable	23,367	26,015
Goodwill	316,340	316,340
Other intangible assets, net	2,765	6,132
Other assets	192,590	166,595
Total assets	10,821,446	10,694,089
Deposits
Non-interest-bearing demand deposits	1,385,430	1,269,455
Interest-bearing deposits:
NOW deposits	653,903	593,133
Money market deposits	1,303,121	1,186,771
Savings deposits	498,246	473,805
Time deposits under $100,000	889,828	644,191
Time deposits of $100,000 or more	3,188,015	3,215,870
Total deposits	7,918,543	7,383,225
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase	800,000	1,250,000
Advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank	376,200	146,200
Other borrowings for affordable housing investments	19,108	18,713
Long-term debt	171,136	171,136
Acceptances outstanding	42,533	41,271
Other liabilities	58,624	54,040
Total liabilities	9,386,144	9,064,585
Commitments and contingencies	0	0
Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred stock, 10,000,000 shares authorized, none issued and outstanding at September 30, 2013, and 258,000 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2012		254,580
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 83,113,308 issued and 78,905,743 outstanding at September 30, 2013, and 82,985,853 issued and 78,778,288 outstanding at December 31, 2012	831	830
Additional paid-in-capital	771,759	768,925
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss)/income, net	(21,183)	465
Retained earnings	801,184	721,993
Treasury stock, at cost (4,207,565 shares at September 30, 2013, and at December 31, 2012)	(125,736)	(125,736)
Total Cathay General Bancorp stockholders' equity	1,426,855	1,621,057
Noncontrolling interest	8,447	8,447
Total equity	1,435,302	1,629,504
Total liabilities and equity	$ 10,821,446	$ 10,694,089