Schedule H, Line 4i – Schedule of Assets (Held At End of Year) (Details) - TDRP	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025 USD ($)
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Entity tax identification number	37-0602744
Plan number	033
Plan's interest in the Caterpillar Investment Trust	$ 846,394,395
Notes receivable from participants	24,816,680
Total Investments	$ 904,336,058
Minimum
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Interest rate	4.25%
Maximum
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Interest rate	9.50%
Self-directed brokerage accounts
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Caterpillar Tax Deferred Plan Self Directed Brokerage - Alight Financial Solutions	$ 33,124,983

The Tax Identification Number (TIN), also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN), is a unique 9-digit value assigned by the IRS.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Exchange Act
-Number 240
-Section 12
-Subsection b-2

+ Details

Name:	dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	dei:employerIdItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of total assets in schedule of asset held for investment of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)). Includes, but is not limited to, current value of investment, participant loan, and plan interest in master trust.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanAssetHeldForInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Current value of investment, excluding plan interest in master trust, in schedule of asset held for investment of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)). Includes, but is not limited to, derivative, investment measured at net asset value per share as practical expedient, and insurance contract.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanAssetHeldForInvestmentInvestmentExcludingPlanInterestInMasterTrustCurrentValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after deemed distribution, of participant loan in schedule of asset held for investment of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanAssetHeldForInvestmentParticipantLoanAfterDeemedDistribution
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Current value of plan interest in master trust in schedule of asset held for investment of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanAssetHeldForInvestmentPlanInterestInMasterTrustCurrentValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Interest rate on participant loan in schedule of asset held for investment of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanParticipantLoanInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Plan number of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)), in three-digit numeric format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6A-05(a)(Schedule I))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6A-05(a)(Schedule II))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (1)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-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 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (3)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (4)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 6
-Paragraph d
-Subparagraph (1)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 6
-Paragraph d
-Subparagraph (2)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (2)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanPlanNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap-ebp_
Data Type:	us-types:threeDigitItemType
Balance Type:	na
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
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (1)(i)(D)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 2: 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 I))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (1)(i)(A)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (1)(i)(C)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (1)(i)(B)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanScheduleOfAssetHeldForInvestmentLineItems
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:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap-ebp_EmployeeBenefitPlanSelfDirectedBrokerageAccountMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: