3.25.4 html 1095 720 1 true 193 0 false 11 false false R1.htm 0000001 - Document - Cover Page Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CoverPage Cover Page Cover 1 false false R2.htm 0000002 - Document - Audit Information Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/AuditInformation Audit Information Cover 2 false false R3.htm 9952151 - Statement - Consolidated Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31 Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ConsolidatedResultsofOperationsfortheYearsEndedDecember31 Consolidated Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31 Statements 3 false false R4.htm 9952152 - Statement - Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the Years Ended December 31 Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ConsolidatedComprehensiveIncomeLossfortheYearsEndedDecember31 Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the Years Ended December 31 Statements 4 false false R5.htm 9952153 - Statement - Consolidated Financial Position at December 31 Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ConsolidatedFinancialPositionatDecember31 Consolidated Financial Position at December 31 Statements 5 false false R6.htm 9952154 - Statement - Consolidated Financial Position at December 31 (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ConsolidatedFinancialPositionatDecember31Parenthetical Consolidated Financial Position at December 31 (Parenthetical) Statements 6 false false R7.htm 9952155 - Statement - Changes in Consolidated Shareholders' Equity for the Years Ended December 31 Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ChangesinConsolidatedShareholdersEquityfortheYearsEndedDecember31 Changes in Consolidated Shareholders' Equity for the Years Ended December 31 Statements 7 false false R8.htm 9952156 - Statement - Changes in Consolidated Shareholders' Equity for the Years Ended December 31 (Parenthetical) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ChangesinConsolidatedShareholdersEquityfortheYearsEndedDecember31Parenthetical Changes in Consolidated Shareholders' Equity for the Years Ended December 31 (Parenthetical) Statements 8 false false R9.htm 9952157 - Statement - Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow for the Years Ended December 31 Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ConsolidatedStatementofCashFlowfortheYearsEndedDecember31 Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow for the Years Ended December 31 Statements 9 false false R10.htm 9952158 - Disclosure - Operations and summary of significant accounting policies Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Operationsandsummaryofsignificantaccountingpolicies Operations and summary of significant accounting policies Notes 10 false false R11.htm 9952159 - Disclosure - Sales and revenue recognition Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Salesandrevenuerecognition Sales and revenue recognition Notes 11 false false R12.htm 9952160 - Disclosure - Stock-based compensation Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Stockbasedcompensation Stock-based compensation Notes 12 false false R13.htm 9952161 - Disclosure - Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsandRiskManagement Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management Notes 13 false false R14.htm 9952162 - Disclosure - Other income (expense) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Otherincomeexpense Other income (expense) Notes 14 false false R15.htm 9952163 - Disclosure - Income taxes Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Incometaxes Income taxes Notes 15 false false R16.htm 9952164 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivities Cat Financial Financing Activities Notes 16 false false R17.htm 9952165 - Disclosure - Inventories Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Inventories Inventories Notes 17 false false R18.htm 9952166 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Propertyplantandequipment Property, plant and equipment Notes 18 false false R19.htm 9952167 - Disclosure - Intangible Assets and Goodwill Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IntangibleAssetsandGoodwill Intangible Assets and Goodwill Notes 19 false false R20.htm 9952168 - Disclosure - Investments in debt and equity securities Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Investmentsindebtandequitysecurities Investments in debt and equity securities Notes 20 false false R21.htm 9952169 - Disclosure - Postemployment benefit plans Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Postemploymentbenefitplans Postemployment benefit plans Notes 21 false false R22.htm 9952170 - Disclosure - Short-term borrowings Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Shorttermborrowings Short-term borrowings Notes 22 false false R23.htm 9952171 - Disclosure - Long-term debt Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Longtermdebt Long-term debt Notes 23 false false R24.htm 9952172 - Disclosure - Credit commitments Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Creditcommitments Credit commitments Notes 24 false false R25.htm 9952173 - Disclosure - Profit per share Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Profitpershare Profit per share Notes 25 false false R26.htm 9952174 - Disclosure - Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Accumulatedothercomprehensiveincomeloss Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) Notes 26 false false R27.htm 9952175 - Disclosure - Fair value disclosures Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Fairvaluedisclosures Fair value disclosures Notes 27 false false R28.htm 9952176 - Disclosure - Supplier Finance Programs Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SupplierFinancePrograms Supplier Finance Programs Notes 28 false false R29.htm 9952177 - Disclosure - Leases Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Leases Leases Notes 29 false false R30.htm 9952178 - Disclosure - Guarantees and product warranty Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Guaranteesandproductwarranty Guarantees and product warranty Notes 30 false false R31.htm 9952179 - Disclosure - Environmental and legal matters Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Environmentalandlegalmatters Environmental and legal matters Notes 31 false false R32.htm 9952180 - Disclosure - Segment information Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Segmentinformation Segment information Notes 32 false false R33.htm 9952181 - Disclosure - Restructuring income/costs Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/Restructuringincomecosts Restructuring income/costs Notes 33 false false R34.htm 9952182 - Disclosure - Subsequent Event Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SubsequentEvent Subsequent Event Notes 34 false false R35.htm 995445 - Disclosure - Insider Trading Arrangements Sheet http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/role/InsiderTradingArrangements Insider Trading Arrangements Notes 35 false false R36.htm 995447 - Disclosure - Insider Trading Policies and Procedures Sheet http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/role/InsiderTradingPoliciesProc Insider Trading Policies and Procedures Notes 36 false false R37.htm 995550 - Disclosure - Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy Disclosure Sheet http://xbrl.sec.gov/cyd/role/CybersecurityRiskManagementAndStrategyDisclosure Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy Disclosure Notes 37 false false R38.htm 9955511 - Disclosure - Operations and summary of significant accounting policies (Policies) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/OperationsandsummaryofsignificantaccountingpoliciesPolicies Operations and summary of significant accounting policies (Policies) Policies 38 false false R39.htm 9955512 - Disclosure - Stock-based compensation (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/StockbasedcompensationTables Stock-based compensation (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Stockbasedcompensation 39 false false R40.htm 9955513 - Disclosure - Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsandRiskManagementTables Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsandRiskManagement 40 false false R41.htm 9955514 - Disclosure - Other income (expense) (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/OtherincomeexpenseTables Other income (expense) (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Otherincomeexpense 41 false false R42.htm 9955515 - Disclosure - Income taxes (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesTables Income taxes (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Incometaxes 42 false false R43.htm 9955516 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesTables Cat Financial Financing Activities (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivities 43 false false R44.htm 9955517 - Disclosure - Inventories (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/InventoriesTables Inventories (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Inventories 44 false false R45.htm 9955518 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PropertyplantandequipmentTables Property, plant and equipment (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Propertyplantandequipment 45 false false R46.htm 9955519 - Disclosure - Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IntangibleAssetsandGoodwillTables Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/IntangibleAssetsandGoodwill 46 false false R47.htm 9955520 - Disclosure - Investments in debt and equity securities (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/InvestmentsindebtandequitysecuritiesTables Investments in debt and equity securities (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Investmentsindebtandequitysecurities 47 false false R48.htm 9955521 - Disclosure - Postemployment benefit plans (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PostemploymentbenefitplansTables Postemployment benefit plans (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Postemploymentbenefitplans 48 false false R49.htm 9955522 - Disclosure - Short-term borrowings (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ShorttermborrowingsTables Short-term borrowings (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Shorttermborrowings 49 false false R50.htm 9955523 - Disclosure - Long-term debt (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LongtermdebtTables Long-term debt (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Longtermdebt 50 false false R51.htm 9955524 - Disclosure - Credit commitments (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CreditcommitmentsTables Credit commitments (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Creditcommitments 51 false false R52.htm 9955525 - Disclosure - Profit per share (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ProfitpershareTables Profit per share (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Profitpershare 52 false false R53.htm 9955526 - Disclosure - Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/AccumulatedothercomprehensiveincomelossTables Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Accumulatedothercomprehensiveincomeloss 53 false false R54.htm 9955527 - Disclosure - Fair value disclosures (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/FairvaluedisclosuresTables Fair value disclosures (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Fairvaluedisclosures 54 false false R55.htm 9955528 - Disclosure - Supplier Finance Programs (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SupplierFinanceProgramsTables Supplier Finance Programs (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/SupplierFinancePrograms 55 false false R56.htm 9955529 - Disclosure - Leases (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LeasesTables Leases (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Leases 56 false false R57.htm 9955530 - Disclosure - Guarantees and product warranty (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/GuaranteesandproductwarrantyTables Guarantees and product warranty (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Guaranteesandproductwarranty 57 false false R58.htm 9955531 - Disclosure - Segment information (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationTables Segment information (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Segmentinformation 58 false false R59.htm 9955532 - Disclosure - Restructuring income/costs (Tables) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/RestructuringincomecostsTables Restructuring income/costs (Tables) Tables http://www.cat.com/role/Restructuringincomecosts 59 false false R60.htm 9955533 - Disclosure - Operations and summary of significant accounting policies (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/OperationsandsummaryofsignificantaccountingpoliciesDetails Operations and summary of significant accounting policies (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/OperationsandsummaryofsignificantaccountingpoliciesPolicies 60 false false R61.htm 9955534 - Disclosure - Sales and revenue recognition (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SalesandrevenuerecognitionDetails Sales and revenue recognition (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/Salesandrevenuerecognition 61 false false R62.htm 9955535 - Disclosure - Stock-based compensation (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/StockbasedcompensationDetails Stock-based compensation (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/StockbasedcompensationTables 62 false false R63.htm 9955536 - Disclosure - Stock-based compensation - Summary of assumptions used in determining fair value (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/StockbasedcompensationSummaryofassumptionsusedindeterminingfairvalueDetails Stock-based compensation - Summary of assumptions used in determining fair value (Details) Details 63 false false R64.htm 9955537 - Disclosure - Stock-based compensation - Schedule of stock-based compensation activity (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/StockbasedcompensationScheduleofstockbasedcompensationactivityDetails Stock-based compensation - Schedule of stock-based compensation activity (Details) Details 64 false false R65.htm 9955538 - Disclosure - Stock-based compensation - Schedule of financial information related to stock-based compensation (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/StockbasedcompensationScheduleoffinancialinformationrelatedtostockbasedcompensationDetails Stock-based compensation - Schedule of financial information related to stock-based compensation (Details) Details 65 false false R66.htm 9955539 - Disclosure - Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsandRiskManagementDetails Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsandRiskManagementTables 66 false false R67.htm 9955540 - Disclosure - Derivative Financial instruments and Risk Management- Location and fair value (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/DerivativeFinancialinstrumentsandRiskManagementLocationandfairvalueDetails Derivative Financial instruments and Risk Management- Location and fair value (Details) Details 67 false false R68.htm 9955541 - Disclosure - Derivative Financial instruments and Risk Management- Gain and Loss on Hedging instruments (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/DerivativeFinancialinstrumentsandRiskManagementGainandLossonHedginginstrumentsDetails Derivative Financial instruments and Risk Management- Gain and Loss on Hedging instruments (Details) Details 68 false false R69.htm 9955542 - Disclosure - Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management- Fair value hedges (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsandRiskManagementFairvaluehedgesDetails Derivative Financial Instruments and Risk Management- Fair value hedges (Details) Details 69 false false R70.htm 9955543 - Disclosure - Derivative Financial instruments and Risk Management- Effect of net settlement provisions upon default or termination (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/DerivativeFinancialinstrumentsandRiskManagementEffectofnetsettlementprovisionsupondefaultorterminationDetails Derivative Financial instruments and Risk Management- Effect of net settlement provisions upon default or termination (Details) Details 70 false false R71.htm 9955544 - Disclosure - Other income (expense) (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/OtherincomeexpenseDetails Other income (expense) (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/OtherincomeexpenseTables 71 false false R72.htm 9955545 - Disclosure - Income taxes - Reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory rate to effective rate, in accordance with ASU 2023-09 (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesReconciliationoftheUSfederalstatutoryratetoeffectiverateinaccordancewithASU202309Details Income taxes - Reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory rate to effective rate, in accordance with ASU 2023-09 (Details) Details 72 false false R73.htm 9955546 - Disclosure - Income taxes - Reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory rate to effective rate, prior to adoption of ASU 2023-09 (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesReconciliationoftheUSfederalstatutoryratetoeffectiveratepriortoadoptionofASU202309Details Income taxes - Reconciliation of the U.S. federal statutory rate to effective rate, prior to adoption of ASU 2023-09 (Details) Details 73 false false R74.htm 9955547 - Disclosure - Income taxes (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesDetails Income taxes (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesTables 74 false false R75.htm 9955548 - Disclosure - Income taxes - Components of profit (loss) before taxes (Details ) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesComponentsofprofitlossbeforetaxesDetails Income taxes - Components of profit (loss) before taxes (Details ) Details 75 false false R76.htm 9955549 - Disclosure - Income taxes - Components of the provision (benefit) for income taxes (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesComponentsoftheprovisionbenefitforincometaxesDetails Income taxes - Components of the provision (benefit) for income taxes (Details) Details 76 false false R77.htm 9955550 - Disclosure - Income taxes - Schedule of net income tax and related interest paid (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesScheduleofnetincometaxandrelatedinterestpaidDetails Income taxes - Schedule of net income tax and related interest paid (Details) Details 77 false false R78.htm 9955551 - Disclosure - Income taxes - Deferred income tax assets and liabilities (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesDeferredincometaxassetsandliabilitiesDetails Income taxes - Deferred income tax assets and liabilities (Details) Details 78 false false R79.htm 9955552 - Disclosure - Income taxes - Reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IncometaxesReconciliationofunrecognizedtaxbenefitsDetails Income taxes - Reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits (Details) Details 79 false false R80.htm 9955553 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesDetails Cat Financial Financing Activities (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesTables 80 false false R81.htm 9955554 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities - Contractual maturities of outstanding wholesale inventory receivables (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesContractualmaturitiesofoutstandingwholesaleinventoryreceivablesDetails Cat Financial Financing Activities - Contractual maturities of outstanding wholesale inventory receivables (Details) Details 81 false false R82.htm 9955555 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities - Contractual maturities of outstanding finance receivables (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesContractualmaturitiesofoutstandingfinancereceivablesDetails Cat Financial Financing Activities - Contractual maturities of outstanding finance receivables (Details) Details 82 false false R83.htm 9955556 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities - Write Offs (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesWriteOffsDetails Cat Financial Financing Activities - Write Offs (Details) Details 83 false false R84.htm 9955557 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities - Allowance for credit losses in finance receivables (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesAllowanceforcreditlossesinfinancereceivablesDetails Cat Financial Financing Activities - Allowance for credit losses in finance receivables (Details) Details 84 false false R85.htm 9955558 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities - Amortized cost of finance receivables in the customer portfolio segment by origination year (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesAmortizedcostoffinancereceivablesinthecustomerportfoliosegmentbyoriginationyearDetails Cat Financial Financing Activities - Amortized cost of finance receivables in the customer portfolio segment by origination year (Details) Details 85 false false R86.htm 9955559 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities - Financing receivable, nonaccrual (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesFinancingreceivablenonaccrualDetails Cat Financial Financing Activities - Financing receivable, nonaccrual (Details) Details 86 false false R87.htm 9955560 - Disclosure - Cat Financial Financing Activities - Financial receivable, modified (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CatFinancialFinancingActivitiesFinancialreceivablemodifiedDetails Cat Financial Financing Activities - Financial receivable, modified (Details) Details 87 false false R88.htm 9955561 - Disclosure - Inventories (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/InventoriesDetails Inventories (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/InventoriesTables 88 false false R89.htm 9955562 - Disclosure - Property, plant and equipment (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PropertyplantandequipmentDetails Property, plant and equipment (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/PropertyplantandequipmentTables 89 false false R90.htm 9955563 - Disclosure - Intangible Assets and Goodwill - Summary of intangible assets (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IntangibleAssetsandGoodwillSummaryofintangibleassetsDetails Intangible Assets and Goodwill - Summary of intangible assets (Details) Details 90 false false R91.htm 9955564 - Disclosure - Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IntangibleAssetsandGoodwillDetails Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/IntangibleAssetsandGoodwillTables 91 false false R92.htm 9955565 - Disclosure - Intangible Assets and Goodwill - Summary of expected amortization expense related to intangible assets (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IntangibleAssetsandGoodwillSummaryofexpectedamortizationexpenserelatedtointangibleassetsDetails Intangible Assets and Goodwill - Summary of expected amortization expense related to intangible assets (Details) Details 92 false false R93.htm 9955566 - Disclosure - Intangible Assets and Goodwill - Summary of changes in goodwill (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/IntangibleAssetsandGoodwillSummaryofchangesingoodwillDetails Intangible Assets and Goodwill - Summary of changes in goodwill (Details) Details 93 false false R94.htm 9955567 - Disclosure - Investments in debt and equity securities - Schedule of available-for-sale securities (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/InvestmentsindebtandequitysecuritiesScheduleofavailableforsalesecuritiesDetails Investments in debt and equity securities - Schedule of available-for-sale securities (Details) Details 94 false false R95.htm 9955568 - Disclosure - Investments in debt and equity securities - Available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/InvestmentsindebtandequitysecuritiesAvailableforsaledebtsecuritiesinanunrealizedlosspositionDetails Investments in debt and equity securities - Available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position (Details) Details 95 false false R96.htm 9955569 - Disclosure - Investments in debt and equity securities - Cost basis and fair value of the available-for-sale debt securities by contractual maturity (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/InvestmentsindebtandequitysecuritiesCostbasisandfairvalueoftheavailableforsaledebtsecuritiesbycontractualmaturityDetails Investments in debt and equity securities - Cost basis and fair value of the available-for-sale debt securities by contractual maturity (Details) Details 96 false false R97.htm 9955570 - Disclosure - Investments in debt and equity securities (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/InvestmentsindebtandequitysecuritiesDetails Investments in debt and equity securities (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/InvestmentsindebtandequitysecuritiesTables 97 false false R98.htm 9955571 - Disclosure - Postemployment benefit plans - Schedule of changes in projected benefit obligations (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PostemploymentbenefitplansScheduleofchangesinprojectedbenefitobligationsDetails Postemployment benefit plans - Schedule of changes in projected benefit obligations (Details) Details 98 false false R99.htm 9955572 - Disclosure - Postemployment benefit plans (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PostemploymentbenefitplansDetails Postemployment benefit plans (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/PostemploymentbenefitplansTables 99 false false R100.htm 9955573 - Disclosure - Postemployment benefit plans - Schedule of benefit obligation in excess of plan assets (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PostemploymentbenefitplansScheduleofbenefitobligationinexcessofplanassetsDetails Postemployment benefit plans - Schedule of benefit obligation in excess of plan assets (Details) Details 100 false false R101.htm 9955574 - Disclosure - Postemployment benefit plans - Components of net periodic benefit cost, amounts recognized in OCI, weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefits (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PostemploymentbenefitplansComponentsofnetperiodicbenefitcostamountsrecognizedinOCIweightedaverageassumptionsusedtodeterminenetperiodicbenefitsDetails Postemployment benefit plans - Components of net periodic benefit cost, amounts recognized in OCI, weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefits (Details) Details 101 false false R102.htm 9955575 - Disclosure - Postemployment benefit plans - Schedule of expected contributions, expected benefit payments and gross prescription drug subsidy receipts (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PostemploymentbenefitplansScheduleofexpectedcontributionsexpectedbenefitpaymentsandgrossprescriptiondrugsubsidyreceiptsDetails Postemployment benefit plans - Schedule of expected contributions, expected benefit payments and gross prescription drug subsidy receipts (Details) Details 102 false false R103.htm 9955576 - Disclosure - Postemployment benefit plans - Fair value of pension and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by category (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PostemploymentbenefitplansFairvalueofpensionandotherpostretirementbenefitplanassetsbycategoryDetails Postemployment benefit plans - Fair value of pension and other postretirement benefit plan assets, by category (Details) Details 103 false false R104.htm 9955577 - Disclosure - Postemployment benefit plans - Company costs related to U.S. and non-U.S. defined contribution plans (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/PostemploymentbenefitplansCompanycostsrelatedtoUSandnonUSdefinedcontributionplansDetails Postemployment benefit plans - Company costs related to U.S. and non-U.S. defined contribution plans (Details) Details 104 false false R105.htm 9955578 - Disclosure - Short-term borrowings (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ShorttermborrowingsDetails Short-term borrowings (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/ShorttermborrowingsTables 105 false false R106.htm 9955579 - Disclosure - Long-term debt - Long-term debt (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LongtermdebtLongtermdebtDetails Long-term debt - Long-term debt (Details) Details 106 false false R107.htm 9955580 - Disclosure - Long-term debt (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LongtermdebtDetails Long-term debt (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/LongtermdebtTables 107 false false R108.htm 9955581 - Disclosure - Long-term debt - Aggregate amounts of maturities of long-term debt (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LongtermdebtAggregateamountsofmaturitiesoflongtermdebtDetails Long-term debt - Aggregate amounts of maturities of long-term debt (Details) Details 108 false false R109.htm 9955582 - Disclosure - Credit commitments - Summary of Credit Commitments (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CreditcommitmentsSummaryofCreditCommitmentsDetails Credit commitments - Summary of Credit Commitments (Details) Details 109 false false R110.htm 9955583 - Disclosure - Credit commitments (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/CreditcommitmentsDetails Credit commitments (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/CreditcommitmentsTables 110 false false R111.htm 9955584 - Disclosure - Profit per share - Computations of Profit Per Share (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ProfitpershareComputationsofProfitPerShareDetails Profit per share - Computations of Profit Per Share (Details) Details 111 false false R112.htm 9955585 - Disclosure - Profit per share (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/ProfitpershareDetails Profit per share (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/ProfitpershareTables 112 false false R113.htm 9955586 - Disclosure - Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/AccumulatedothercomprehensiveincomelossDetails Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/AccumulatedothercomprehensiveincomelossTables 113 false false R114.htm 9955587 - Disclosure - Fair value disclosures - Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis at fair value (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/FairvaluedisclosuresAssetsandliabilitiesmeasuredonarecurringbasisatfairvalueDetails Fair value disclosures - Assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis at fair value (Details) Details 114 false false R115.htm 9955588 - Disclosure - Fair value disclosures (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/FairvaluedisclosuresDetails Fair value disclosures (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/FairvaluedisclosuresTables 115 false false R116.htm 9955589 - Disclosure - Fair value disclosures - Fair values of financial instruments (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/FairvaluedisclosuresFairvaluesoffinancialinstrumentsDetails Fair value disclosures - Fair values of financial instruments (Details) Details 116 false false R117.htm 9955590 - Disclosure - Supplier Finance Programs - Narrative (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SupplierFinanceProgramsNarrativeDetails Supplier Finance Programs - Narrative (Details) Details 117 false false R118.htm 9955591 - Disclosure - Supplier Finance Programs - Schedule of Supplier Finance Programs (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SupplierFinanceProgramsScheduleofSupplierFinanceProgramsDetails Supplier Finance Programs - Schedule of Supplier Finance Programs (Details) Details 118 false false R119.htm 9955592 - Disclosure - Leases - Components of lease cost (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LeasesComponentsofleasecostDetails Leases - Components of lease cost (Details) Details 119 false false R120.htm 9955593 - Disclosure - Leases - Schedule of supplemental balance sheet information related to leases (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LeasesScheduleofsupplementalbalancesheetinformationrelatedtoleasesDetails Leases - Schedule of supplemental balance sheet information related to leases (Details) Details 120 false false R121.htm 9955594 - Disclosure - Leases - Maturity of lease liabilities (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LeasesMaturityofleaseliabilitiesDetails Leases - Maturity of lease liabilities (Details) Details 121 false false R122.htm 9955595 - Disclosure - Leases- Supplemental cash flow information related to leases (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LeasesSupplementalcashflowinformationrelatedtoleasesDetails Leases- Supplemental cash flow information related to leases (Details) Details 122 false false R123.htm 9955596 - Disclosure - Leases - Equipment leased to others (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LeasesEquipmentleasedtoothersDetails Leases - Equipment leased to others (Details) Details 123 false false R124.htm 9955597 - Disclosure - Leases - Operating lease payment maturity (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LeasesOperatingleasepaymentmaturityDetails Leases - Operating lease payment maturity (Details) Details 124 false false R125.htm 9955598 - Disclosure - Leases - Revenues from finance and operating leases (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/LeasesRevenuesfromfinanceandoperatingleasesDetails Leases - Revenues from finance and operating leases (Details) Details 125 false false R126.htm 9955599 - Disclosure - Guarantees and product warranty (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/GuaranteesandproductwarrantyDetails Guarantees and product warranty (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/GuaranteesandproductwarrantyTables 126 false false R127.htm 9955600 - Disclosure - Guarantees and product warranty - Product Warranty (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/GuaranteesandproductwarrantyProductWarrantyDetails Guarantees and product warranty - Product Warranty (Details) Details 127 false false R128.htm 9955601 - Disclosure - Segment information (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationDetails Segment information (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationTables 128 false false R129.htm 9955602 - Disclosure - Segment information - Disaggregation of revenue (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationDisaggregationofrevenueDetails Segment information - Disaggregation of revenue (Details) Details 129 false false R130.htm 9955603 - Disclosure - Segment information - Energy & transportation sales (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationEnergytransportationsalesDetails Segment information - Energy & transportation sales (Details) Details 130 false false R131.htm 9955604 - Disclosure - Segment information - Reconciliation of profit from reportable segments (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationReconciliationofprofitfromreportablesegmentsDetails Segment information - Reconciliation of profit from reportable segments (Details) Details 131 false false R132.htm 9955605 - Disclosure - Segment information - Reconciliations of consolidated profit before taxes (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationReconciliationsofconsolidatedprofitbeforetaxesDetails Segment information - Reconciliations of consolidated profit before taxes (Details) Details 132 false false R133.htm 9955606 - Disclosure - Segment information - Reconciliation of assets (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationReconciliationofassetsDetails Segment information - Reconciliation of assets (Details) Details 133 false false R134.htm 9955607 - Disclosure - Segment information - Reconciliations of depreciation and amortization (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationReconciliationsofdepreciationandamortizationDetails Segment information - Reconciliations of depreciation and amortization (Details) Details 134 false false R135.htm 9955608 - Disclosure - Segment information - Reconciliations of capital expenditures (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationReconciliationsofcapitalexpendituresDetails Segment information - Reconciliations of capital expenditures (Details) Details 135 false false R136.htm 9955609 - Disclosure - Segment information - Information about geographic areas (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SegmentinformationInformationaboutgeographicareasDetails Segment information - Information about geographic areas (Details) Details 136 false false R137.htm 9955610 - Disclosure - Restructuring income/costs - Restructuring and related costs (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/RestructuringincomecostsRestructuringandrelatedcostsDetails Restructuring income/costs - Restructuring and related costs (Details) Details 137 false false R138.htm 9955611 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events (Details) Sheet http://www.cat.com/role/SubsequentEventsDetails Subsequent Events (Details) Details http://www.cat.com/role/SubsequentEvent 138 false false All Reports Book All Reports cat-20251231.htm cat-20251231.xsd cat-20251231_cal.xml cat-20251231_def.xml cat-20251231_lab.xml cat-20251231_pre.xml cat-20251231_g1.jpg cat-20251231_g2.jpg cat-20251231_g3.gif cat-20251231_g4.jpg http://fasb.org/srt/2025 http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2025 http://xbrl.sec.gov/cyd/2025 http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025 http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025 true true