Reconciliation of Financial Statements to Form 5500 - Reconciliation of Net Income (Details) - TDRP $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025 USD ($)
EBP, Reconciliation of Financial Statement to Form 5500 [Line Items]
Plan's Net increase (decrease) in net assets available for benefits per financial statements	$ 162,136
Change in certain deemed distributions of participant loans	(71)
Change in adjustment from contract value to fair value for fully benefit-responsive synthetic guaranteed investment contracts	1,453
Net income (loss) per Form 5500	$ 163,518

Amount of increase (decrease) in net asset available for benefit to participant in employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 250
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483443/250-10-50-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 325
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 17
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478873/962-325-55-17

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6A-05(a)(Schedule III))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 325
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 8
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477509/962-325-45-8

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanChangeInNetAssetAvailableForBenefitIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in net asset available for benefit from net income (loss) as reported in Form 5500 caption for employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)). Form 5500 is form provided by Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Department of Labor (DOL), Employee Benefit Security Administration (EBSA); and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 1
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (3)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (i)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478416/962-205-50-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanForm5500CaptionNetIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in net asset available for benefit from current value in excess of (less than) contract value of investment held by employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)) to reconcile change in net asset available for benefit per financial statement to Form 5500 caption. Form 5500 is form provided by Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Department of Labor (DOL), Employee Benefit Security Administration (EBSA); and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanReconciliationToForm5500ChangeInNetAssetAvailableForBenefitIncreaseDecreaseForContractValueToCurrentValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in net asset available for benefit from deemed distribution to participant in employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)) to reconcile change in net asset available for benefit per financial statement to Form 5500 caption. Form 5500 is form provided by Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Department of Labor (DOL), Employee Benefit Security Administration (EBSA); and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanReconciliationToForm5500ChangeInNetAssetAvailableForBenefitIncreaseDecreaseForDeemedDistribution
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (i)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478416/962-205-50-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanReconciliationToForm5500LineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=cat_EBP033Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: