Income taxes (Details 7) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits
Unrecognized tax benefits, beginning	$ 1,286	$ 1,032	$ 968
Additions for tax positions related to current year	61	270	73
Additions for tax positions related to prior years	461	20	55
Reductions for tax positions related to prior years	(5)	(27)	(36)
Reductions for settlements	(6)	(9)	(24)
Reductions for expiration of statute of limitations	(1)	0	(4)
Unrecognized tax benefits, ending	1,796	1,286	1,032
Unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate	1,716	1,209	963
Net provision for interest and penalties	42	38	$ 34
Interest and penalties, accrued	190	$ 157
Income tax examination, proposed liability increase/(decrease)	$ 2,300

The amount of taxing authority proposed additional income tax and penalty for prior years.

No definition available.

Name:	cat_Incometaxexaminationproposedliabilityincreasedecrease
Namespace Prefix:	cat_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of estimated penalties and interest accrued as of the balance sheet date arising from income tax examinations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32718-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The sum of the amounts of estimated penalties and interest recognized in the period arising from income tax examinations.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReconciliationOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsExcludingAmountsPertainingToExaminedTaxReturnsRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrecognized tax benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84176650&loc=SL37586934-109318

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from settlements with taxing authorities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions that have been or will be taken in current period tax return.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from lapses of applicable statutes of limitations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)(4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

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

- Definition

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant