Houseplants and pets: what's safe
Plants that are toxic to cats and dogs, and safer picks
Why it matters
Cats and dogs, especially young ones, chew on plants. Many popular houseplants are mildly toxic, a few are deadly, and plenty are safe.
Common names can be confusing, so know your plant's botanical name and check it on the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant list before it comes home. With lilies and cats, treatment must start fast, so call at once even if your cat seems fine.
The most dangerous
Keep these out of homes with pets altogether.
- Lilies and cats: true lilies and daylilies can cause fatal kidney failure within 3 days, even from a little pollen, a leaf or vase water.
- Sago palm: every part is toxic to dogs and cats, especially the seeds, and can cause liver failure.
Common, mildly toxic plants
Pothos, philodendron, monstera, dieffenbachia, peace lily, Chinese evergreen and caladium contain tiny needle-like crystals. Chewing them causes mouth pain and swelling, drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing.
The ASPCA also lists aloe, jade plant and snake plant as toxic to cats and dogs. Peace lilies and calla lilies aren't true lilies, so they don't cause kidney failure.
Pet-safe picks
These are listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA.
- Spider plant, Boston fern and parlor palm.
- Areca palm, ponytail palm and cast-iron plant.
- Prayer plant and calatheas.
- African violet, haworthia and peperomias such as baby rubber plant.
- Christmas cactus and moth orchid.
Keeping pets safe
Non-toxic doesn't mean edible: any plant can cause a mild stomach upset if a pet eats enough.
- Put toxic plants out of reach, or in rooms your pets can't enter.
- Store fertilizers and pest sprays where pets can't reach them, and follow their labels.
- Watch for drooling, mouth irritation, vomiting, diarrhea or unusual tiredness after your pet chews a plant.
- If your pet eats a toxic plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, open 24/7. A fee may apply.
Sources
- ASPCA: Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List
- US FDA: Lovely Lilies and Curious Cats: A Dangerous Combination
- ASPCA: Do You Know Which Flowers and Plants are Toxic to Pets?
- ASPCA: ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
General guidance, not a diagnosis. Written by PlantWiz in our own words from the sources above.