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21 Best Plants That Are Safe for Cats, Plus Safety Tips From a Vet
Here are the prettiest houseplants that are safe for cats.
Houseplants make your home feel cozy in an instant. But as a pet parent, you may not realize some plants are toxic to pets, especially cats. “Cats are naturally curious in order to survive,” says Susan Sikule, DVM, owner of Just Cats Veterinary Clinic in Guilderland, New York. “In the wild, they need to explore to hunt and find good hiding places. In your house, your cat wants to explore your plants, too.” Fortunately, there are many cat safe plants you can bring home without worrying about your fur baby’s safety.
You also can try to keep plants out of your cat’s reach on a high shelf or in hanging baskets, though that’s not always foolproof. “Cats being cats, they will somehow figure out how to get to them or injure themselves trying,” says Dr. Sikule. For cats who like to dig in pots, place landscaping stones on top of the soil to make it less appealing.
No matter how careful you are, one plant you should never have in your house is lily, even in bouquets. “Lilies by far are the most deadly plant for cats, and even a small amount can cause irreversible kidney failure,” says Dr. Sikule. Even a few grains of pollen or drinking water from a vase that contains lilies can be fatal for your cat.
If you suspect your pet has nibbled on a toxic plant — even if you’re not entirely sure — call your vet ASAP. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Also, remember that any plant can cause GI distress or vomiting if ingested in large enough quantities, so keep your curious kitty away from your houseplants!
Ahead, the best options for cat-safe plants:
Money Tree
This plant has a handsome upright form with appealing shiny green leaves. It looks like a miniature tree and often comes with a braided stem. Give money tree bright light, though it will tolerate moderate light. Let it dry out a bit between waterings.
Phalaenopsis Orchid
Also called moth orchids, these plants may appear delicate, but they’re actually quite tough and will bloom for months in the right conditions. Give them bright, indirect light in an east or south-facing window, and water only when dry.
Olive Tree
Olive trees have beautiful, silvery foliage and wispy shapes. You’ll need very bright light in an east or south-facing window, or use an LED grow light. They like to dry out slightly between waterings.
Echeveria
Not all succulents are cat-safe, but pretty, rose-shaped echeveria is. Echeveria retains water in its leaves so it’s drought-tolerant, which is great if you’re forgetful about giving your plants a drink. Give it bright light, and let it go a couple weeks between waterings.
Bromeliad
This exotic-looking houseplant has attractive foliage and unusual-looking colored bracts, a sort of modified leaf. Give bromeliads lots of bright light, and water only when the soil feels dry to touch.
African Violet
These classic houseplants flower year-round under the right growing conditions. Give African violets bright, indirect light; direct sunlight will burn their fuzzy leaves. Water when soil surface still feels slightly wet.
Staghorn Fern
The striking, sculptural form of the staghorn fern makes them particularly appealing. Plus, you can display them mounted on wood or in hanging baskets to keep them out of your cat’s reach.
They like bright, indirect light and need to dry out a bit between drinks. Soak the entire fern if it’s mounted on wood in a bathtub for 10 to 15 minutes, let drip dry, and rehang. For those in pots, sit the pot in water for 10 minutes or so, letting it soak it up moisture from the bottom.
Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactus can live for decades in the right conditions! These plants need bright, indirect light and should be watered when they’re slightly dry. They form buds in response to the hours of daylight; to get them to rebloom next year, give it 12 to 16 hours of complete darkness from late September on.
Pilea
Also called coin plant or Chinese money plant because of its cute, rounded foliage, this is another type of succulent that is cat-friendly. Give it bright indirect light, and water only when surface feels dry.
Cast Iron Plant
As the name suggests, cast iron plant survives almost anything and is quite forgiving if you’re a plant parent who occasionally forgets to water. Its long strappy leaves prefer low to medium light. Water when the soil feels slightly dry.
Parlor Palm
This is one of the less fussy palms to grow with its wispy, feathery fronds. It's often sold as a small tabletop plant. Give parlor palm moderate light, though it will tolerate lower light levels. Water to keep the soil slightly moist.
Haworthia
Not all succulents are cat-safe, but this one is. With its cute form and solid or striped foliage, haworthia is a great windowsill plant that maxes out at 6 to 8 inches tall. It likes bright light. Water every few weeks when it’s mostly dry.
Spider Plant
The spider plant has been popular forever because it’s so easy-care. Its long, strappy leaves arch gracefully from the pot, and it produces long stems with plantlets, which you can snip off to make new plants. These dangling babies might be especially enticing for cats, so keep it up high or in a hanging pot in bright, indirect light. Water when it’s slightly dry.
Polka Dot Plant
This fun plant has pink, white or red spots, making it a colorful addition to any room. Give polka dot plant bright light and constant light moisture — but don’t drown it; it doesn’t like wet feet.
Bird's Nest Fern
This fern is less finicky than many other types, and its thick leaves help it retain moisture, meaning it’s more forgiving if you forget to water it occasionally. Give bird's nest fern bright, indirect light, and water when slightly dry.
Calathea
This plant is becoming hugely popular because of its striking, colorful leaves and graceful form. Calathea needs bright light and prefers to stay lightly (that’s lightly!) moist.
Ponytail Palm
You guessed it! This plant looks like it has a big, messy ponytail. Give ponytail palm bright indirect light. It’s drought tolerant because it stores water in its bulb-shaped base, so it can go a few weeks between waterings. The dangling fronds may entice kitties to play, so keep it out of reach, if possible. It’s also slow-growing, so buy the size you want.
Norfolk Island Pine
These delicate-looking pines with soft needles are a favorite small indoor tree. Norfolk island pines need bright light and slightly moist soil. If you forget to water, however, they tend to drop lower branches, which won’t re-grow.
Peperomia
Cute, puckered shaped leaves and a dense mounded shape or draping form make peperomia a must-have plant. It can handle low to moderate light. Let the soil dry out between waterings.
Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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