Houseplants That Are Safe for Cats and Dogs
Some popular houseplants are harmless to pets and some are not. These are the ones you can grow without worry, and the ones to keep out of reach.
Safe choices
The plants below are listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. "Non-toxic" means the plant contains no known poison. A pet that eats a large amount of any plant may still vomit.
- Spider plant is very easy, tolerates average light, and trails well from a hanging pot.
- Boston fern is lush and feathery, and suits a bright, humid bathroom.
- Echeveria is a compact rosette succulent for a sunny sill.
- Sweet basil and rosemary are kitchen herbs that are safe for pets.
- Other widely grown safe plants include parlor palm, areca palm, calathea, peperomia, African violet and moth orchid.
Common houseplants that are toxic
Many favorite foliage plants belong to the arum family and contain needle-like calcium oxalate crystals. Chewing them causes immediate mouth pain, drooling and sometimes vomiting. The effects are unpleasant but rarely dangerous.
- Pothos, Monstera, philodendron, peace lily and ZZ plant
- Snake plant, which contains saponins
- Aloe vera and jade plant
- Fiddle-leaf fig and rubber plant, which have irritating sap
Plants that are dangerous
A few plants can cause severe poisoning and are best kept out of a home with pets altogether.
- True lilies and daylilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis) are extremely dangerous to cats. Even pollen or vase water can cause kidney failure.
- Sago palm can cause liver failure in dogs and cats. The seeds are the most toxic part.
- Oleander, dieffenbachia and azalea are also high-risk.
Spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils are most toxic in the bulb itself, so store unplanted bulbs where dogs cannot reach them.
Keeping pets and plants apart
- Hang trailing plants or place them on high shelves that cats cannot reach by jumping.
- Give cats a pot of cat grass to chew.
- Cover the soil of large pots with stones to discourage digging.
- Choose only non-toxic plants for floor level.
If your pet eats a plant
Remove any plant material from the mouth, identify the plant, and call your veterinarian or an animal poison control service straight away. Do not wait for symptoms and do not induce vomiting unless a professional tells you to. With lilies and cats, treat any contact as an emergency.
You can filter our plant finder to show pet-safe plants only.