Plants Safe for Pets

What Pet-Safe Actually Means

Non-toxic, pet-friendly plants are definitely not an abstract or even a broad category. Plants safe for pets are specifically those that cause no poisoning or its symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, kidney injury, or dermatitis) when a pet encounters, ingests, or touches them in normal household amounts. 

Note that pet-safe doesn’t always mean edible, safe for all pets, or free of secondary hazards (pesticide or fertilizer residues). For example, some might be safe for dogs but dangerous for cats that lack a key liver enzyme that metabolizes certain plant compounds. Species safe for both dogs and cats might not be safe for birds, rabbits, reptiles, and horses. 

If you want to be confident about the species’ status and the potential toxicity level (non-toxic, mildly toxic, or toxic), you can check it on the ASPCA website via the search tool. 

How to Choose & Place Plants — Practical Tips 

There are many safe options across different categories like palms, ferns, orchids, peperomia species, calatheas, and many others. Popular options safe for both cats and dogs include Parlor palm, Areca palm, Moth orchid, Boston fern, and Baby rubber plant. 

However, there are some placement rules even for non-toxic species. Consider your pet’s personal habits. Avoid placing hanging plants or plants with heart-shaped leaves that can be extra tempting for cats. Avoid placing any on the floor if you have a dog. 

Try to avoid true lilies, oleander, azalea, rhododendrons, and similar high-severity species entirely. You can see the safe options and learn more about each species right on this page.