Other income (expense) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Investment and interest income	$ 482	$ 494	$ 167
Foreign exchange gains (losses)	71	(96)	104
License fee income	142	146	142
Gains (losses) on securities	39	11	(56)
Net periodic pension and OPEB income (cost), excluding service cost	165	47	868
Miscellaneous income (loss)	(86)	(7)	66
Total	$ 813	$ 595	$ 1,291

This element represents the miscellaneous nonoperating income and loss incurred during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	cat_MiscellaneousIncomeLossNonoperating
Namespace Prefix:	cat_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for net periodic pension and postretirement costs excluding the current service cost component. Includes, but is not limited to, interest cost, actual return on plan assets, amortization of loss (gain), amortization of prior service cost (credit), amortization of transition obligation (asset), loss (gain) from a settlement or curtailment, and certain termination benefits.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cat_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrealized and realized gain (loss) on investment in debt and equity securities.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, before tax, of realized and unrealized gain (loss) from foreign currency transaction.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07(7))
-Publisher FASB
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 830
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 35
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-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482014/830-20-35-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
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-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481956/830-20-45-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
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Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 830
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 17
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481839/830-10-45-17

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after accretion (amortization) of discount (premium), and investment expense, of interest income and dividend income on nonoperating securities.

+ References

Reference 1: 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(8))
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-Paragraph 2
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+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of income (expense) related to nonoperating activities, classified as other.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Ancillary revenue earned during the period from the consideration paid to the entity for the use of its rights and property by another party. Examples include licensing the use of copyrighted materials and leasing the extraction of natural resources.

+ References

+ Details

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