Condensed Consolidated Income Statements Of Income and Comprehensive Income (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015	Feb. 01, 2014	Feb. 02, 2013
Revenues
Retail sales	$ 977,867us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 910,500us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 933,782us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Other income (principally finance charges, late fees and layaway charges)	9,047cato_IncomeOther	9,533cato_IncomeOther	10,266cato_IncomeOther
Total revenues	986,914us-gaap_Revenues	920,033us-gaap_Revenues	944,048us-gaap_Revenues
COSTS AND EXPENSES, NET
Cost of goods sold (exclusive of depreciation shown below)	600,569us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	571,246us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	581,961us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Selling, general and administrative (exclusive of depreciation shown below)	276,234	245,868	244,327
Depreciation	22,026us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	21,825us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	22,455us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Interest Expense	57us-gaap_InterestExpense	75us-gaap_InterestExpense	116us-gaap_InterestExpense
Interest and other income	3,445us-gaap_NonoperatingGainsLosses	3,267us-gaap_NonoperatingGainsLosses	3,782us-gaap_NonoperatingGainsLosses
Cost and expenses, net	895,441us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	835,747us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	845,077us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
Income before income taxes	91,473	84,286	98,971
Income tax expense	30,971us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	29,964us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	37,303us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income	60,502us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	54,322us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	61,668us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Basic earnings per share	$ 2.15us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 1.86us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 2.11us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic
Diluted earnings per share	$ 2.15us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 1.86us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 2.11us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted
Comprehensive income
Net income	60,502us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	54,322us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	61,668us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	(8)	43	115
Comprehensive income	$ 60,510	$ 54,279	$ 61,553

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