Unallocated and Other [Member]

Interest expense

$ (22)

Gain on sale of land

Loss on sale of business

(3)

Unallocated corporate costs

Interest expense

(22)

(17)

(15)

General unallocated income (expense)

Less: Equity in earnings of affiliated companies, net of tax

Income from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliated companies

(69)

(39)

Certain Items [Member]

Global restructuring activities (Note H)

(9)

Gain on sale of land

Loss on sale of business

(3)

Legal and environmental matters and reserves

(1)

Acquisition and integration-related charges

(1)

Total certain items

(42)

$ (4)

Certain Items [Member] | Argentina [Member]

Controlled currency devaluation loss

$ (33)

Amount excluded from earnings before interest and tax.

No definition available.

Name:	cbt_AmountExcludedFromEarningsBeforeInterestAndTax
Namespace Prefix:	cbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Business combination acquisition and integration related costs.

No definition available.

Name:	cbt_BusinessCombinationAcquisitionAndIntegrationRelatedCosts
Namespace Prefix:	cbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Currency devaluation loss.

No definition available.

Name:	cbt_CurrencyDevaluationLoss
Namespace Prefix:	cbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Gain (loss) on sale of land.

No definition available.

Name:	cbt_GainLossOnSaleOfLand
Namespace Prefix:	cbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

General unallocated income expense.

No definition available.

Name:	cbt_GeneralUnallocatedIncomeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	cbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Income loss from equity method investments net of tax.

No definition available.

Name:	cbt_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestmentsNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	cbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Legal environmental matters and reserves.

No definition available.

Name:	cbt_LegalEnvironmentalMattersAndReserves
Namespace Prefix:	cbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Restructuring charges benefit.

No definition available.

Name:	cbt_RestructuringChargesBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	cbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Unallocated corporate costs are costs not controlled by the segments and primarily benefit corporate interests.

No definition available.

Name:	cbt_UnallocatedCorporateCosts
Namespace Prefix:	cbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of gain (loss) from sale and disposal of integrated set of activities and assets capable of being conducted and managed for purpose of providing return in form of dividend, lower cost, or other economic benefit to investor, owner, member and participant.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482740/230-10-45-28

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481203/810-10-50-1B

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfBusiness
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations, including income (loss) from equity method investments, before deduction of income tax expense (benefit), and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(11))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483586/944-220-S99-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482810/280-10-50-22

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 30
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482810/280-10-50-30

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (f)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482810/280-10-50-32

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 31
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482810/280-10-50-31

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482810/280-10-50-32

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 235
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-05(b)(2))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479557/942-235-S99-1

Reference 8: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-SubTopic 20
-Topic 940
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481913/940-20-25-1

Reference 9: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(10))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483621/220-10-S99-2

Reference 10: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04(15))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483589/942-220-S99-1

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 830
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 10
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480167/946-830-55-10

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (i)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483581/946-220-45-3

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07(3))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483575/946-220-S99-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (d)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482810/280-10-50-22

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482925/835-30-45-3

Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483589/942-220-S99-1

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (210.5-03(11))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483621/220-10-S99-2

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483013/835-20-50-1

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

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.