<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-10-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000883977</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CATALINA MARKETING CORP/DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>POS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001129787</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>VA PARTNERS LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>435 PACIFIC AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>FOURTH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94133</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001351069</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ValueAct Capital Management, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>435 PACIFIC AVENUE, 4TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94133</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001351073</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ValueAct Capital Management, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>435 PACIFIC AVENUE, 4TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94133</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001159187</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>UBBEN JEFFREY W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>435 PACIFIC AVENUE, FOURTH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94133</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000937541</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KAMIN PETER H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>265 FRANKLIN STREET, 16TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02110</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7246100</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>32.5</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of in exchange for $32.50 per share pursuant to the merger agreement providing for the acquisition of Catalina Marketing Corporation by funds affiliated with Hellman &amp; Friedman, LLC, the closing of which occurred on October 1, 2007.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The reported stock is owned directly by ValueAct Capital Master Fund, L.P and may be deemed to be beneficially owned by (i) VA Partners, LLC as General Partner of ValueAct Capital Master Fund, L.P., (ii) ValueAct Capital Management, L.P. as the manager of ValueAct Capital Master Fund, L.P. and (iii) ValueAct Capital Management, LLC as General Partner of ValueAct Capital Management, L.P.  Jeffrey W. Ubben, Peter H. Kamin and George F. Hamel, Jr. are Managing Members of VA Partners, LLC and ValueAct Capital Management, LLC. The reporting persons disclaim beneficial ownership of the reported stock except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Joint Filer Information:

Name: ValueAct Capital Master Fund, L.P.
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, LLC
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Catalina Marketing Corporation (POS)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: October 1, 2007

Name: ValueAct Capital Management, L.P.
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, LLC
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Catalina Marketing Corporation (POS)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: October 1, 2007

Name: ValueAct Capital Management, LLC
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, LLC
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Catalina Marketing Corporation (POS)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: October 1, 2007

Name: Jeffrey W. Ubben
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, LLC
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Catalina Marketing Corporation (POS)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: October 1, 2007

Name: George F. Hamel, Jr.
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, LLC
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Catalina Marketing Corporation (POS)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: October 1, 2007

Name: Peter H. Kamin
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, Fourth Floor, San Francisco, CA 94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, LLC
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Catalina Marketing Corporation (POS)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: October 1, 2007</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>VA PARTNERS, LLC, /s/ George F. Hamel. Jr., Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>VALUEACT CAPITAL MASTER FUND, L.P., By:  VA PARTNERS, LLC, its General Partner, /s/ George F. Hamel. Jr., Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>VALUEACT CAPITAL  MANAGEMENT, L.P., By:  VALUEACT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC, its General Partner, /s/ George F. Hamel. Jr., Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>VALUEACT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC, /s/ George F. Hamel. Jr., Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jeffrey W. Ubben</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ George F. Hamel, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Peter H. Kamin</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
