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Available-For-Sale Securities (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis $ 1,393us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost $ 1,421us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 142cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments 133cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
Fair Value 1,535us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities 1,554us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
U.S. treasury bonds    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis 10us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
10us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 0cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
0cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
Fair Value 10us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
10us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
Other U.S. and non-U.S. government bonds    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis 97us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_OtherUSGovernmentAndNonUSGovernmentDebtMember
94us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_OtherUSGovernmentAndNonUSGovernmentDebtMember
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 1cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_OtherUSGovernmentAndNonUSGovernmentDebtMember
0cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_OtherUSGovernmentAndNonUSGovernmentDebtMember
Fair Value 98us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_OtherUSGovernmentAndNonUSGovernmentDebtMember
94us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_OtherUSGovernmentAndNonUSGovernmentDebtMember
Corporate bonds    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis 642us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
677us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 20cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
16cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
Fair Value 662us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
693us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
Asset-backed securities    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis 101us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
103us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 2cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
2cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Fair Value 103us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
105us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
U.S. governmental agency mortgage-backed securities    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis 277us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
292us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 4cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
2cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
Fair Value 281us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
294us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
Residential    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis 14us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
15us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 0cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
0cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Fair Value 14us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
15us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Commercial    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis 60us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
63us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 4cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
4cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Fair Value 64us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
67us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Large capitalization value    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis 169us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_LargeCapitalizationMember
150us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_LargeCapitalizationMember
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 87cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_LargeCapitalizationMember
83cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_LargeCapitalizationMember
Fair Value 256us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_LargeCapitalizationMember
233us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_LargeCapitalizationMember
Smaller company growth    
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities    
Cost Basis 23us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_SmallerCompanyMember
17us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_SmallerCompanyMember
Unrealized Pretax Net Gains (Losses) 24cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_SmallerCompanyMember
26cat_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainLossAccumulatedInInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_SmallerCompanyMember
Fair Value $ 47us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_SmallerCompanyMember
$ 43us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cat_SmallerCompanyMember