Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Interest and Dividend Income
Loans receivable, including loan fees	$ 92,732	$ 88,840
Investment securities- taxable	7,576	11,786
Investment securities- nontaxable		967
Federal Home Loan Bank stock	450	250
Deposits with banks	449	208
Total interest and dividend income	101,207	102,051
Interest Expense
Time deposits of $100,000 or more	6,664	6,757
Other deposits	4,028	2,766
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase	6,930	11,392
Advances from Federal Home Loan Bank	199	80
Long-term debt	728	924
Total interest expense	18,549	21,919
Net interest income before provision for credit losses	82,658	80,132
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	82,658	80,132
Non-Interest Income
Securities gains, net	5,960	6,292
Letters of credit commissions	1,468	1,461
Depository service fees	1,363	1,474
Other operating income	5,768	5,654
Total non-interest income	14,559	14,881
Non-interest Expense
Salaries and employee benefits	23,451	22,853
Occupancy expense	3,862	3,644
Computer and equipment expense	2,302	2,676
Professional services expense	5,156	5,817
FDIC and State assessments	2,154	1,738
Marketing expense	564	437
Other real estate owned expense	759	623
Operations of affordable housing investments, net	2,436	1,695
Amortization of core deposit intangibles	172	1,396
Costs associated with debt redemption	3,376	5,645
Other operating expense	3,836	2,604
Total non-interest expense	48,068	49,128
Income before income tax expense	49,149	45,885
Income tax expense	17,890	16,887
Net income	31,259	28,998
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interest		151
Net income attributable to Cathay General Bancorp	31,259	28,847
Dividends on preferred stock and noncash charge from repayment		(5,184)
Net income attributable to common stockholders	31,259	23,663
Other comprehensive income, net of tax
Unrealized holding gain arising during the period	11,094	26,659
Less: reclassification adjustments included in net income	3,455	3,647
Total other comprehensive gain, net of tax	7,639	23,012
Total comprehensive income	$ 38,898	$ 51,859
Net income per common share:
Basic (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.39	$ 0.30
Diluted (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.39	$ 0.30
Cash dividends paid per common share (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.05	$ 0.01
Average common shares outstanding
Basic (in Shares)	79,595,757	78,795,564
Diluted (in Shares)	80,039,382	78,815,141