Even though I had moved toxic plants up onto a stool, after we returned from a weekend trip we noticed several leaves were gone and low-hanging ones had plenty of bites taken out of them. What was I to do?
Adopting a cat or dog (or other household pet) is a serious decision. And as something you care about deeply, you want to keep them safe.
Though house plants are generally unassuming, many popular varieties are toxic to cats and dogs if ingested. As we detail toxic and non-toxic plants, keep moderation in mind.
Even though a plant may not be dangerous to your pet, it’s also not exactly a good thing for your cat or dog to eat it.
Some leaves or plant stems may be a choking hazard or cause an upset stomach, just like eating too much food all at once will.
Heavy pots or vases can also be dangerous if you have a cat who likes to climb and explore.
Many popular plants that you’ll see as part of television shows or Instagram-perfect homes do tend to be toxic.
• aloe vera
• jade
• dieffenbachia
• peace lilies
• philodendron
• monstera
• snake plants
• fiddle leaf fig plants
• ZZ plants
• english ivy
• many more…
If you’re like me and felt sad reading that list, don’t worry! There are other plants that will fill the void these trusted and true varieties leave.
There are seemingly endless varieties of plants, flowers, and herbs. Many, many indoor plants that are totally safe for cats and dogs.
• spider plants
• Boston ferns
• bamboo and Areca palms
• angel wing cacti
• phalaenopsis orchids
• air plants
• peperomia
• money trees
• and some popular succulents likehens and chickens, haworthia, and burro’s tail
It’s likely that many plant parents reading this will have a few favorite plant children who they can’t part with. I get that; I’m one of them!
First, we gathered all the toxic plants together and sorted them into groups based on how much light each needed to grow well.
We put the most high maintenance plants in the rooms that our cat doesn’t like to explore due to noise and foot traffic.
Then we took our pothos, philodendron, and ZZ plants and placed them atop kitchen cabinets or in macrame holders hanging from the ceiling near windows.
You can get a wooden bracket for less than $10 at any hardware store, drill it into the wall to hang plants from the ceiling, and make the most of your west-facing windows.
The smaller plants rest on narrow shelves that are too high up for my cat to get to. These solutions took extra work and supplies, and they do make watering more difficult. However, it’s worth it to keep everyone happy!