Reflects the amount of the specific reserve related to a troubled debt restructuring.

No definition available.

Name:	caty_FinancingReceivablesImpairedTroubledDebtRestructuringSpecificReserve
Namespace Prefix:	caty_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of charge-off to contractual balances for impaired loans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	caty_PercentageOfChargeOffToContractualBalancesForImpairedLoans
Namespace Prefix:	caty_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period Loan Is In Payment Default

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	caty_PeriodLoanIsInPaymentDefault
Namespace Prefix:	caty_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Accumulated amortized cost of financing receivable modified for debtor experiencing financial difficulty.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 42
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-42

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 33
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-33

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 40
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481746/310-40-50-4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsRecordedInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost of financing receivable with payment default in current period and modified within previous 12 months preceding payment default for debtor experiencing financial difficulty.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 12A
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481933/310-10-55-12A

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 44
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-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-44

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 34
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-34

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 14A
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-14A

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of commitment to lend additional funds to debtor experiencing financial difficulty for which creditor has modified terms of financing receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 36
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481962/310-10-50-36

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-SubTopic 40
-Topic 310
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481746/310-40-50-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableImpairedCommitmentToLend
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfFinancingReceivableTypeOfBorrowerAxis=caty_NonaccrualLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfFinancingReceivableTypeOfBorrowerAxis=caty_AccruingTroubledDebtRestructuringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfFinancingReceivableTypeOfBorrowerAxis=caty_NonaccruingTroubledDebtRestructuringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Note 9 - Loans (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
Note 9 - Loans (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	$ 73,580		$ 68,854
Percentage Of Charge Off To Contractual Balances For Impaired Loans	10.50%		14.10%
Financing Receivables, Impaired, Troubled Debt Restructuring, Specific Reserve		$ 0
Financing Receivable, Troubled Debt Restructuring, Subsequent Default	$ 0
Financing Receivable, Troubled Debt Restructuring, Commitment to Lend	$ 0
Minimum [Member]
Period Loan Is In Payment Default (Day)	60 days
Maximum [Member]
Period Loan Is In Payment Default (Day)	90 days
Nonaccrual Loans [Member]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	$ 73,600		$ 68,900
Accruing Troubled Debt Restructuring [Member]
Financing Receivable, Troubled Debt Restructuring			15,100
Financing Receivables, Impaired, Troubled Debt Restructuring, Specific Reserve			0
Non-accruing Troubled Debt Restructuring [Member]
Financing Receivable, Troubled Debt Restructuring			6,300
Financing Receivables, Impaired, Troubled Debt Restructuring, Specific Reserve			$ 427