Houseplants that are not toxic to cats and dogs give you a green home without you always having to watch what your cat or dog is doing. Popular species like the Monstera and the scindapsus contain substances that cause pain in the mouth or stomach problems if eaten. Fortunately, there are plenty of species without harmful substances that look just as beautiful.
In this guide you will read what "not toxic" exactly means, which 12 houseplants are safe, which ones are better kept out of reach and what to look out for around the holidays. You will also read what to do if your pet has eaten a plant after all.
What does not toxic for cats and dogs mean?
If a plant is called "not toxic" or "pet-friendly", it means that it does not contain substances known to make a cat or dog sick. Most lists, including ours, are based on the database of the ASPCA, the American animal protection organization that keeps this for each plant species.
Not toxic is something different than edible. Cats and dogs digest plant fibers poorly, so if you eat a large piece of leaf, you may still have to vomit or have thinner stools. That will pass on its own. Pay attention to plant food and pesticides: they can also be harmful with a safe plant. All plants in our collection of pet-friendly plants are on the ASPCA list as not toxic for cats and dogs; in case of doubt, we do not include a species.
12 houseplants that are safe for cats and dogs
These species are safe and fit in various places in the house, from a dark corner to a bright windowsill.
1. Calathea
Calatheas have strikingly patterned leaves, often with stripes, spots or a purple underside. They like light but without direct sun and love humid air, such as in a bright bathroom. View all species in the Calathea collection.
2. Maranta leuconeura
The prayer plant is in the Calathea family and folds its leaves up in the evening. It stays low and wide and after a while hangs beautifully over the edge of the pot.
3. Chlorophytum comosum
The spider plant is safe, but cats often find the narrow, hanging leaves irresistible. Eating a lot can then lead to vomiting. Therefore, preferably hang it up; the runners with small plants also look best in a hanging pot.
4. Pilea peperomioides
The pancake plant has round leaves on long stems and naturally produces side shoots that you can pot up. It wants a light place without bright afternoon sun and moderate watering. You can find it in the pancake plant collection.
5. Dypsis lutescens
The golden palm or areca palm immediately brings a tropical atmosphere into the house with its feathery leaves. It wants a light place with some morning or evening sun and soil that is slightly moist but never wet. View the Areca golden palms in various sizes.
6. Chamaedorea elegans
The parlor palm is the compact counterpart of the golden palm and also survives in a place with less light. It grows slowly and stays manageable for a long time.
7. Rhapis excelsa
The bamboo palm has sturdy, fan-shaped leaves on thin stems and grows slowly. It tolerates partial shade and becomes a stately corner plant over the years.
8. Nephrolepis exaltata
The sword fern grows full and round, with long, gracefully hanging leaves. It needs humid air and regular watering.
9. Phlebodium aureum
The blue fern stands out due to its grey-blue, deeply cut leaves. It tolerates dry room air better than most ferns.
10. Peperomia
Peperomias stay small, have sturdy leaves and require little water. There are countless forms, from round and shiny to wrinkled and silver-grey.
11. Hoya carnosa
The wax plant has thick, waxy leaves and can produce fragrant flower clusters in a light place. It tolerates it well if you forget to water it once.
12. Pachira aquatica
The money tree with its braided trunk is one of the few larger houseplants that are safe for pets. It wants a light place without bright afternoon sun and moderate watering: let the top few centimeters of soil dry out before watering again.
Overview: which safe houseplant fits your place?
First choose based on light, then on how often you want to water.
| Plant | Place | Water | Growth form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calathea | Light, no sun | Keep slightly moist | Shrub, 30-60 cm |
| Maranta | Light, no sun | Keep slightly moist | Low and wide |
| Spider plant | Light to partial shade | Weekly | Hanging |
| Pancake plant | Light, no bright sun | Moderate | Compact, 20-30 cm |
| Golden palm | Light, some sun | Keep slightly moist | Floor plant up to 2 m |
| Parlor palm | Partial shade | Moderate | Compact |
| Bamboo palm | Light to partial shade | Moderate | Floor plant |
| Sword fern | Light, no sun | A lot | Round and hanging |
| Blue fern | Light to partial shade | Moderate | Wide, 40-80 cm |
| Peperomia | Light to partial shade | Little | Small |
| Hoya carnosa | Light | Little | Hanging or climbing |
| Pachira | Light, no bright sun | Moderate | House tree |
How often "moderate" or "slightly moist" is exactly in your house, depends on the pot, the light and the season. On our page about watering you read how to assess that per plant, and on the page locations how to assess the light in a place. If you mainly have a dark place available, also look at the safe species in our blog about houseplants for low light.
You better keep these houseplants out of reach
Many well-known houseplants are not life-threatening, but are annoying for an animal that gnaws on them. A few species are really dangerous.
Lilies
True lilies (Lilium) and daylilies (Hemerocallis) are the most dangerous plants for cats that you can have in the house. Even a small amount of leaf, a few licks of pollen from the fur or water from the vase can cause acute kidney failure. If you have a cat, do not bring lilies into the house, even as cut flowers in a bouquet.
Sagopalm
The Cycas revoluta looks like a palm, but is a palm fern. All parts are toxic, especially the seeds, and eating them can cause liver damage. Dogs run the greatest risk. This plant does not belong in a house with pets.
Monstera, philodendron and scindapsus
These aroids, just like the Zamioculcas, Spathiphyllum, Alocasia, Anthurium, Aglaonema and Dieffenbachia, contain sharp calcium oxalate crystals. If an animal bites the leaf, it immediately gives a burning sensation, drooling, rubbing the paw along the mouth and sometimes vomiting. Because it hurts immediately, it usually stays at one bite.
Aloe vera, Dracaena and Sansevieria
These plants contain saponins or other substances that can cause vomiting and diarrhea. The Ficus and the Yucca also belong in this list. With large floor plants, putting them out of reach is difficult; in our overview of the most beautiful large houseplants you see which large species are safe, such as the golden palm and the money tree.
Seasonal plants in autumn and around Christmas
In autumn and winter, flower bulbs, a poinsettia and an amaryllis come into the house, and they are far from all safe. Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) and the bulbs of hyacinths, daffodils and tulips are toxic, where the bulb itself is the most harmful. The Cyclamen has a toxic tuber, and also the Kalanchoe, a popular bloomer at this time of the year, you better keep out of reach.
The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) has a worse name than it deserves: its milky sap can irritate the mouth and stomach, but serious poisoning is rare. If you still want something blooming in the house, choose an orchid (Phalaenopsis), a Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera) or a Saintpaulia. Those three are not toxic for cats and dogs and also bloom in the dark months.
What do you do if your pet has eaten a plant?
First find out which plant it is and how much your animal has eaten approximately, and remove any remains from the mouth. Do not let your animal vomit by itself with salt or household remedies.
Call your veterinarian immediately if it is a toxic plant, or if you are not sure, also outside opening hours, and take the plant or a photo of the label with you; the veterinarian can consult the poisoning center if necessary. In case of a cat that has sat on a lily, do not wait until there are complaints: fast treatment is then decisive. Signs of poisoning include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, sluggishness, not wanting to eat and a swollen mouth.
This is how plants and pets live happily together
Even with safe plants, it is nice if your cat or dog leaves the plant alone: a bitten plant grows poorly.
Give your cat its own pot of cat grass. Cats then prefer the soft grass than your houseplant. Put plants that your animal likes to gnaw on higher or hang them up, and choose a heavy, stable decorative pot so that a playing dog or a jumping cat does not knock it over. Large pebbles on the pot soil prevent your cat from digging in it.
Also pay attention to the water. Dogs like to drink from a dish or decorative pot, and in standing water there can be remains of plant food. Therefore, pour out excess water a quarter of an hour after watering; that is also better for the roots, as we explain in our blog about why drainage is important. Store plant food, fertilizer sticks and pesticides in a closed cabinet. Safe species that can withstand a blow, you also find in our blog about easy houseplants, such as the spider plant, Peperomia and Hoya.
If you already have a plant that is not pet-friendly, such as a Yucca, put it in a room where your pet does not come alone. What location a Yucca needs, you read in our guide about Yucca care.
Frequently asked questions about houseplants that are not toxic for cats and dogs
1. Which houseplants are not toxic for cats?
Calathea, Maranta, spider plant, pancake plant, golden palm, parlor palm, bamboo palm, sword fern, blue fern, Peperomia, Hoya carnosa and Pachira are not toxic for cats. Also the orchid (Phalaenopsis), Christmas cactus and Saintpaulia are safe. All these species are also safe for dogs.
2. Is a Monstera toxic for cats and dogs?
Yes, the Monstera contains calcium oxalate crystals that when chewing give a burning sensation in the mouth, drooling and sometimes vomiting. Serious poisoning rarely occurs, because an animal usually stops after one bite. Do put it in a place where your pet cannot reach it.
3. Which plant is the most dangerous for cats?
True lilies and daylilies are the most dangerous for cats. A small amount of leaf, pollen or vase water can already cause kidney failure. Go directly to the veterinarian upon contact, even if your cat has no complaints yet.
4. Why does my cat eat houseplants?
Cats eat plants to vomit hairballs, out of boredom or because they like the moving leaves to play with. A pot of cat grass of their own and enough playtime usually help well. Put plants that your cat likes to nibble on higher or hang them up.
5. Is a poinsettia toxic for pets?
The poinsettia is slightly toxic: the milky sap can irritate the mouth and stomach and lead to drooling or vomiting. Serious poisoning is rare. Still, better keep it out of reach, especially with a young dog or cat that gnaws on everything.
6. Is plant food dangerous for cats and dogs?
Yes, plant food and fertilizer sticks can cause stomach and intestinal problems if eaten. Store them closed and pour out excess water after feeding, so that your pet does not drink it from the dish. Pesticides you keep out of reach for the same reason.
