diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 0a0616d57..4097365d4 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -12,12 +12,33 @@ Unreleased
     error. :issue:`2964`
 -   ``OrderedMultiDict`` and ``ImmutableOrderedMultiDict`` are deprecated.
     Use ``MultiDict`` and ``ImmutableMultiDict`` instead. :issue:`2968`
+-   Behavior of properties on ``request.cache_control`` and
+    ``response.cache_control`` has been significantly adjusted.
+
+    -   Dict values are always ``str | None``. Setting properties will convert
+        the value to a string. Setting a property to ``False`` is equivalent to
+        setting it to ``None``. Getting typed properties will return ``None`` if
+        conversion raises ``ValueError``, rather than the string.  :issue:`2980`
+    -   ``max_age`` is ``None`` if not present, rather than ``-1``.
+        :issue:`2980`
+    -   ``no_cache`` is a boolean for requests, it is ``False`` instead of
+        ``"*"`` when not present. It remains a string for responses.
+        issue:`2980`
+    -   ``max_stale`` is an int, it is ``None`` instead of ``"*"`` if it is
+        present with no value. ``max_stale_any`` is a boolean indicating if
+        the property is present regardless of if it has a value. :issue:`2980`
+    -   ``no_transform`` is a boolean. Previously it was mistakenly always
+        ``None``. :issue:`2881`
+    -   ``min_fresh`` is ``None`` if not present instead of ``"*"``.
+        :issue:`2881`
+    -   ``private`` is a boolean, it is ``False`` instead of ``"*"`` when not
+        present. :issue:`2980`
+    -   Added the ``must_understand`` property. :issue:`2881`
+    -   Added the ``stale_while_revalidate``, and ``stale_if_error``
+        properties. :issue:`2948`
+    -   Type annotations more accurately reflect the values. :issue:`2881`
+
 -   Support Cookie CHIPS (Partitioned Cookies). :issue:`2797`
--   ``CacheControl.no_transform`` is a boolean when present. ``min_fresh`` is
-    ``None`` when not present. Added the ``must_understand`` attribute. Fixed
-    some typing issues on cache control. :issue:`2881`
--   Add ``stale_while_revalidate`` and ``stale_if_error`` properties to
-    ``ResponseCacheControl``. :issue:`2948`
 -   Add 421 ``MisdirectedRequest`` HTTP exception. :issue:`2850`
 -   Increase default work factor for PBKDF2 to 1,000,000 iterations.
     :issue:`2969`
diff --git a/docs/datastructures.rst b/docs/datastructures.rst
index bd2c0d223..e70252534 100644
--- a/docs/datastructures.rst
+++ b/docs/datastructures.rst
@@ -93,11 +93,13 @@ HTTP Related
 
 .. autoclass:: RequestCacheControl
     :members:
-    :inherited-members:
+    :inherited-members: ImmutableDictMixin, CallbackDict
+    :member-order: groupwise
 
 .. autoclass:: ResponseCacheControl
     :members:
-    :inherited-members:
+    :inherited-members: CallbackDict
+    :member-order: groupwise
 
 .. autoclass:: ETags
    :members:
diff --git a/src/werkzeug/datastructures/cache_control.py b/src/werkzeug/datastructures/cache_control.py
index e185944b3..2171c4d7a 100644
--- a/src/werkzeug/datastructures/cache_control.py
+++ b/src/werkzeug/datastructures/cache_control.py
@@ -2,27 +2,58 @@
 
 import collections.abc as cabc
 import typing as t
+from inspect import cleandoc
 
 from .mixins import ImmutableDictMixin
 from .structures import CallbackDict
 
 
-def cache_control_property(key: str, empty: t.Any, type: type[t.Any] | None) -> t.Any:
+def cache_control_property(
+    key: str, empty: t.Any, type: type[t.Any] | None, *, doc: str | None = None
+) -> t.Any:
     """Return a new property object for a cache header. Useful if you
     want to add support for a cache extension in a subclass.
 
+    :param key: The attribute name present in the parsed cache-control header dict.
+    :param empty: The value to use if the key is present without a value.
+    :param type: The type to convert the string value to instead of a string. If
+        conversion raises a ``ValueError``, the returned value is ``None``.
+    :param doc: The docstring for the property. If not given, it is generated
+        based on the other params.
+
+    .. versionchanged:: 3.1
+        Added the ``doc`` param.
+
     .. versionchanged:: 2.0
         Renamed from ``cache_property``.
     """
+    if doc is None:
+        parts = [f"The ``{key}`` attribute."]
+
+        if type is bool:
+            parts.append("A ``bool``, either present or not.")
+        else:
+            if type is None:
+                parts.append("A ``str``,")
+            else:
+                parts.append(f"A ``{type.__name__}``,")
+
+            if empty is not None:
+                parts.append(f"``{empty!r}`` if present with no value,")
+
+            parts.append("or ``None`` if not present.")
+
+        doc = " ".join(parts)
+
     return property(
         lambda x: x._get_cache_value(key, empty, type),
         lambda x, v: x._set_cache_value(key, v, type),
         lambda x: x._del_cache_value(key),
-        f"accessor for {key!r}",
+        doc=cleandoc(doc),
     )
 
 
-class _CacheControl(CallbackDict[str, t.Any]):
+class _CacheControl(CallbackDict[str, t.Optional[str]]):
     """Subclass of a dict that stores values for a Cache-Control header.  It
     has accessors for all the cache-control directives specified in RFC 2616.
     The class does not differentiate between request and response directives.
@@ -36,36 +67,25 @@ class _CacheControl(CallbackDict[str, t.Any]):
     that class.
 
     .. versionchanged:: 3.1
+        Dict values are always ``str | None``. Setting properties will
+        convert the value to a string. Setting a non-bool property to
+        ``False`` is equivalent to setting it to ``None``. Getting typed
+        properties will return ``None`` if conversion raises
+        ``ValueError``, rather than the string.
 
-       ``no_transform`` is a boolean when present.
-
-    .. versionchanged:: 2.1.0
+    .. versionchanged:: 2.1
         Setting int properties such as ``max_age`` will convert the
         value to an int.
 
     .. versionchanged:: 0.4
-
-       Setting `no_cache` or `private` to boolean `True` will set the implicit
-       none-value which is ``*``:
-
-       >>> cc = ResponseCacheControl()
-       >>> cc.no_cache = True
-       >>> cc
-       <ResponseCacheControl 'no-cache'>
-       >>> cc.no_cache
-       '*'
-       >>> cc.no_cache = None
-       >>> cc
-       <ResponseCacheControl ''>
-
-       In versions before 0.5 the behavior documented here affected the now
-       no longer existing `CacheControl` class.
+       Setting ``no_cache`` or ``private`` to ``True`` will set the
+       implicit value ``"*"``.
     """
 
-    no_cache: str | bool | None = cache_control_property("no-cache", "*", None)
     no_store: bool = cache_control_property("no-store", None, bool)
-    max_age: int | None = cache_control_property("max-age", -1, int)
+    max_age: int | None = cache_control_property("max-age", None, int)
     no_transform: bool = cache_control_property("no-transform", None, bool)
+    stale_if_error: int | None = cache_control_property("stale-if-error", None, int)
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -81,17 +101,20 @@ def _get_cache_value(
         """Used internally by the accessor properties."""
         if type is bool:
             return key in self
-        if key in self:
-            value = self[key]
-            if value is None:
-                return empty
-            elif type is not None:
-                try:
-                    value = type(value)
-                except ValueError:
-                    pass
-            return value
-        return None
+
+        if key not in self:
+            return None
+
+        if (value := self[key]) is None:
+            return empty
+
+        if type is not None:
+            try:
+                value = type(value)
+            except ValueError:
+                return None
+
+        return value
 
     def _set_cache_value(
         self, key: str, value: t.Any, type: type[t.Any] | None
@@ -102,16 +125,15 @@ def _set_cache_value(
                 self[key] = None
             else:
                 self.pop(key, None)
+        elif value is None or value is False:
+            self.pop(key, None)
+        elif value is True:
+            self[key] = None
         else:
-            if value is None:
-                self.pop(key, None)
-            elif value is True:
-                self[key] = None
-            else:
-                if type is not None:
-                    self[key] = type(value)
-                else:
-                    self[key] = value
+            if type is not None:
+                value = type(value)
+
+            self[key] = str(value)
 
     def _del_cache_value(self, key: str) -> None:
         """Used internally by the accessor properties."""
@@ -132,7 +154,7 @@ def __repr__(self) -> str:
     cache_property = staticmethod(cache_control_property)
 
 
-class RequestCacheControl(ImmutableDictMixin[str, t.Any], _CacheControl):  # type: ignore[misc]
+class RequestCacheControl(ImmutableDictMixin[str, t.Optional[str]], _CacheControl):  # type: ignore[misc]
     """A cache control for requests.  This is immutable and gives access
     to all the request-relevant cache control headers.
 
@@ -142,21 +164,61 @@ class RequestCacheControl(ImmutableDictMixin[str, t.Any], _CacheControl):  # typ
     for that class.
 
     .. versionchanged:: 3.1
-       ``no_transform`` is a boolean when present.
+        Dict values are always ``str | None``. Setting properties will
+        convert the value to a string. Setting a non-bool property to
+        ``False`` is equivalent to setting it to ``None``. Getting typed
+        properties will return ``None`` if conversion raises
+        ``ValueError``, rather than the string.
+
+    .. versionchanged:: 3.1
+       ``max_age`` is ``None`` if not present, rather than ``-1``.
+
+    .. versionchanged:: 3.1
+        ``no_cache`` is a boolean, it is ``False`` instead of ``"*"``
+        when not present.
+
+    .. versionchanged:: 3.1
+        ``max_stale`` is an int, it is ``None`` instead of ``"*"`` if it is
+        present with no value. ``max_stale_any`` is a boolean indicating if
+        the property is present regardless of if it has a value.
 
     .. versionchanged:: 3.1
-       ``min_fresh`` is ``None`` if a value is not provided for the attribute.
+       ``no_transform`` is a boolean. Previously it was mistakenly
+       always ``None``.
 
-    .. versionchanged:: 2.1.0
+    .. versionchanged:: 3.1
+       ``min_fresh`` is ``None`` if not present instead of ``"*"``.
+
+    .. versionchanged:: 2.1
         Setting int properties such as ``max_age`` will convert the
         value to an int.
 
     .. versionadded:: 0.5
-       In previous versions a `CacheControl` class existed that was used
-       both for request and response.
+        Response-only properties are not present on this request class.
     """
 
-    max_stale: str | int | None = cache_control_property("max-stale", "*", int)
+    no_cache: bool = cache_control_property("no-cache", None, bool)
+    max_stale: int | None = cache_control_property(
+        "max-stale",
+        None,
+        int,
+        doc="""The ``max-stale`` attribute if it has a value. A ``int``, or
+        ``None`` if not present or no value.
+
+        This attribute can also be present without a value. To check that, use
+        :attr:`max_stale_any`.
+        """,
+    )
+    max_stale_any: bool = cache_control_property(
+        "max-stale",
+        None,
+        bool,
+        doc="""The ``max-stale`` attribute presence regardless of value. A
+        ``bool``, either present or not.
+
+        To check the value of the attribute if present, use :attr:`max_stale`.
+        """,
+    )
     min_fresh: int | None = cache_control_property("min-fresh", None, int)
     only_if_cached: bool = cache_control_property("only-if-cached", None, bool)
 
@@ -172,26 +234,38 @@ class ResponseCacheControl(_CacheControl):
     for that class.
 
     .. versionchanged:: 3.1
-       ``no_transform`` is a boolean when present.
+        Dict values are always ``str | None``. Setting properties will
+        convert the value to a string. Setting a non-bool property to
+        ``False`` is equivalent to setting it to ``None``. Getting typed
+        properties will return ``None`` if conversion raises
+        ``ValueError``, rather than the string.
+
+    .. versionchanged:: 3.1
+        ``private`` is a boolean, it is ``False`` instead of ``"*"``
+        when not present.
+
+    .. versionchanged:: 3.1
+       ``no_transform`` is a boolean. Previously it was mistakenly always
+       ``None``.
 
     .. versionchanged:: 3.1
         Added the ``must_understand``, ``stale_while_revalidate``, and
-        ``stale_if_error`` attributes.
+        ``stale_if_error`` properties.
 
     .. versionchanged:: 2.1.1
         ``s_maxage`` converts the value to an int.
 
-    .. versionchanged:: 2.1.0
+    .. versionchanged:: 2.1
         Setting int properties such as ``max_age`` will convert the
         value to an int.
 
     .. versionadded:: 0.5
-       In previous versions a `CacheControl` class existed that was used
-       both for request and response.
+       Request-only properties are not present on this response class.
     """
 
+    no_cache: str | bool | None = cache_control_property("no-cache", "*", None)
     public: bool = cache_control_property("public", None, bool)
-    private: str | None = cache_control_property("private", "*", None)
+    private: bool = cache_control_property("private", None, bool)
     must_revalidate: bool = cache_control_property("must-revalidate", None, bool)
     proxy_revalidate: bool = cache_control_property("proxy-revalidate", None, bool)
     s_maxage: int | None = cache_control_property("s-maxage", None, int)
@@ -200,7 +274,6 @@ class ResponseCacheControl(_CacheControl):
     stale_while_revalidate: int | None = cache_control_property(
         "stale-while-revalidate", None, int
     )
-    stale_if_error: int | None = cache_control_property("stale-if-error", None, int)
 
 
 # circular dependencies
diff --git a/tests/test_datastructures.py b/tests/test_datastructures.py
index 76a5530fc..51799722b 100644
--- a/tests/test_datastructures.py
+++ b/tests/test_datastructures.py
@@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ def test_set_none(self):
         cc.no_cache = None
         assert cc.no_cache is None
         cc.no_cache = False
-        assert cc.no_cache is False
+        assert cc.no_cache is None
 
     def test_no_transform(self):
         cc = ds.RequestCacheControl([("no-transform", None)])
diff --git a/tests/test_http.py b/tests/test_http.py
index 9febd0f0c..5c45b3dde 100644
--- a/tests/test_http.py
+++ b/tests/test_http.py
@@ -121,22 +121,22 @@ def test_dict_header(self, value, expect):
     def test_cache_control_header(self):
         cc = http.parse_cache_control_header("max-age=0, no-cache")
         assert cc.max_age == 0
-        assert cc.no_cache
+        assert cc.no_cache is True
         cc = http.parse_cache_control_header(
             'private, community="UCI"', None, datastructures.ResponseCacheControl
         )
-        assert cc.private
+        assert cc.private is True
         assert cc["community"] == "UCI"
 
         c = datastructures.ResponseCacheControl()
         assert c.no_cache is None
-        assert c.private is None
+        assert c.private is False
         c.no_cache = True
         assert c.no_cache == "*"
         c.private = True
-        assert c.private == "*"
+        assert c.private is True
         del c.private
-        assert c.private is None
+        assert c.private is False
         # max_age is an int, other types are converted
         c.max_age = 3.1
         assert c.max_age == 3