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Adding new plants to your home isn’t always as easy as it sounds when you live with a furry friend like a cat. Luckily, there are a few common houseplants that are safe for cats, so you can place them indoors around your home without worrying about whether they’re chewed on from time to time. In this article, we share the best houseplants for cats so you can rest easy knowing that your home is full of greenery that is safe for cats.
Why Look for Non-Toxic Plants?
Unfortunately, a lot of plants are toxic to cats but at the same time, many cats also like eating plants which is why it’s important to look for a safe houseplant to add into your home. However, just because a plant is deemed “non-toxic” doesn’t mean it won’t cause an upset stomach if digested in large amounts. While the best indoor plants won’t be fatal to cats, they may still cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, and other intestinal issues.
As such, it’s best to keep any kind of plant away from all your pets. Smaller plants can often be kept inside a hanging basket; this can be a great option if your cats are particularly curious and want to reach your plant for something to munch on.
Best Houseplants for Cats
Below, you’re sure to find a great choice for the next addition to your home. Here are a few feline-safe indoor plants to give your space a more natural look and feel.
Ponytail Palm
Known for its botanical name Beaucarnea recurvata, this plant offers the look of a palm tree and is often used as an ornamental houseplant due to its tolerance to drought. This plant grows slowly and won’t need a lot of care, making it a must-have houseplant for many pet lovers.
Spider Plant
Also known as Chlorophytum comosum, this popular houseplant is a highly adaptable plant that’s easy to grow and comes with the ability to purify air. If you have a cat and are looking for a non-toxic, low-light plant, then be sure to get a few spider plants.
Cast Iron Plant
The Aspidistra elatior or cast iron plant can reach heights of up to 2 to 3 feet and features lush and gorgeous green foliage, giving it a stunning look. Cast iron plants grow slower, and can survive in harsh conditions which makes them suitable household plants for busy bodies.
Boston Fern
The stunning Boston fern is famous for its beautiful foliage, where its dangling fronds create a wonderful atmosphere in the home inside hanging baskets or window boxes. This non-toxic plant is a great addition if you’re worried about having chewers around the house.
Fittonia
This low-growing creeper is a pet-friendly houseplant that has red veins around the leaves. Its bright green leaves also have silver linings throughout the foliage — it can grow between 10 to 12 inches tall, so be sure to find an appropriate space for this plant.
Parlor Palm
Parlor palms are generally known as safe plants for cats and dogs, and they’re known to have air-purifying qualities too. It has downward arching fronds that make it a beautiful addition to homes and offices.
Baby Rubber Plant
While the original rubber plant (ficus elastica) is slightly toxic to cats, the baby rubber plant isn’t — luckily, it won’t need much attention, and this is the reason why many plant and cat enthusiasts love it. It has fleshy stems that store water, which allows it to survive without much watering.
Wax Plant
Also known as the Hoya carnosa, the wax plant is often grown inside hanging baskets and pots to help absorb indoor air pollutants and absorbs formaldehyde and benzene. These plants will prefer bright and indirect light, and will prefer more water during the spring and summer but won’t need much during the winter months.
Moth Orchid
When you want a low light indoor plant that’s safe for both cats and dogs, look no further than the Moth Orchid. It comes with fragrant and long-lasting flowers that can help to elevate the mood inside your home with its sweet aroma — these pet-friendly plants will typically grow to a foot long.
Staghorn Fern
The Staghorn fern belongs to the polypod family and it comes with a unique shape. It’s flat leaves overlap on top of each other which helps to provide stability — this plant is also completely safe for cats.
Zebra Plant
With cream and green stripes of colors over waxy foliage, it’s reminiscent of the pattern found on Zebras, where the plant gets its name from. Because this plant rarely grows taller than 12 inches, it can be a great plant to add inside homes.
Burro’s Tail
Burro’s Tail, also known as Donkey Tail, comes with fleshy blue-green leaves that are fat and fleshy with dangling stems which makes this succulent look unique. The best thing about this plant is that it’s safe for both cats and dogs.
African Violet
When you want to add a striking plant inside your home, then the African Violet will be a treat! African Violets are a favorite of pet owners thanks to the vibrant pop of color they can add to any space; just make sure that they’re not placed somewhere near a vent or a window.
Christmas Cactus
Whenever Christmas time grows near, there’s nothing better than placing a few Christmas Cacti around the house. This plant is also non-toxic to pets and it blooms vibrant red flowers that make it the perfect choice for the upcoming yuletide season.
Polka Dot Plant
When you keep it indoors, the Polka Dot Plant can grow up to a foot tall which makes a great addition to any home or indoor garden for you and your pets. With a botanical name of Hypoestes phyllostachya, it will do well when kept near an east-facing window.
Watermelon Peperomia
Also known as Peperomia argyreia, the Watermelon Peperomia is loved for its gorgeous, watermelon-like leaves. This plant can be kept away from direct sunlight and is perfectly safe around cats.
Pilea Silver Sparkle
Apart from being friendly to cats, the Pilea Silver Sparkle is a good choice for pet owners looking for indoor plants to add to their homes. This pet-friendly plant should be located near a window with some filtered light, and always keep its soil moist to help it thrive.
Friendship Plant
Also known by its botanical name, Pilea involucrata, the Friendship plant comes with attractive and unique foliage which is why it’s a favorite among gardening enthusiasts. You’re sure to love this plant for its intricately patterned and textured leaves that are soft and completely harmless to cats.
Areca Palm
When you want to make an impressive addition to your home while also keeping your feline friend safe, you can’t go wrong with the Areca Palm. Also known as butterfly palm, this plant can grow between 4 to 6 feet tall and is known for its luscious and flowing fronds.
Haworthia
Haworthia succulents are a safer substitute for Aloe Vera plants if you want to give your cats a worry-free environment. Similar to succulents, the Haworthia comes in a wide variety of plants, all of which are safe for cats and dogs; they’re also low maintenance and will need indirect light.
Swedish Ivy
The Swedish Ivy can be a beautiful addition as a low-maintenance plant with dainty and distinctive green leaves that leave a nice aroma in your home thanks to its lilac flowers. It’s also completely safe for our furry friends and is best kept inside a hanging planter.
Purple Passion
The Purple Passion plant is also safe for pets; its stunning leaves come in gorgeous purple hues that make it such a beautiful addition to homes. These plants will do well when planted in moist soil and diffused bright light.
Chinese Money Plant
The Chinese money plant, also known as Pilea peperomioides, is harmless enough that it won’t cause harm even after your cat has nibbled on it. Luckily, this plant is also low-maintenance, plus it’s known to share good luck inside its home.
Calathea Rattlesnake
While Rattlesnake plants might sound scary, they’re actually pet-friendly and can add a splash of green to any home. You may find that they look “dead” at night, but this is just due to the drop in water pressure inside the plant, they’ll come back to life during the day.
Bamboo Palms
Also known as Good Luck Palms, Bamboo Palms are considered to be non-toxic houseplants for pets. However, they can grow as tall as 8 feet, so make sure you have space in your home for one of these; they will also grow best in indirect light when given in moderation.
Money Tree
If you’re on the lookout for large houseplants, a money tree can be your best bet if you have pets at home. Just make sure that they’re out of your pet’s reach since their leaves can lead to gastrointestinal upset when ingested in large amounts.
What is Cat Grass?
Cat grass isn’t a specific kind of plant but is instead a mixture of grass grown from the seeds of barley, oats, rye, or wheat. They are made specifically for felines and are grown indoors, serving as a deterrent for cats to stay away from other kinds of plants. You can find them in your local pet store, and online shops, or you can grow your own at home.
Conclusion
Now that you know about the best pet-safe plants, it’s a good idea to understand their needs since some plants will need direct sunlight and other friendly houseplants will prefer the dark. If your home already has resident plants, it’s best that you check which ones are safe and which need to be removed. But if you’re looking to add some greenery to your home, you won’t have to look further than the options we’ve shared above.
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