Pet-Safe Houseplants for Cats: The Safe List
Yes, you can keep houseplants with a cat. The safe picks include spider plants, parlor palms, peperomias, prayer plants, calatheas, staghorn ferns, money trees, and hoyas. The ones to keep away are lilies (the truly dangerous one), plus pothos, philodendron, snake plant, ZZ, aloe, and dracaena.
Most "pet-safe plants" lists online are copied from each other, and a few of them are just wrong. That's a real problem when the stakes are your cat chewing a leaf. So this list is different in one way that matters: every plant on it is identified by its botanical name, because common names are where the mix-ups happen.
One reality check before the list. "Non-toxic" doesn't mean "eat as much as you want." A cat that gorges on any plant can still throw up or get an upset stomach, just from the fiber and the novelty. Non-toxic means it won't poison them the way a lily or a pothos can. That distinction is the whole point, so this guide keeps it clear throughout.
The easy wins, beginner-friendly and cat-safe
These are the best starting points for a home with a cat, because they're forgiving and non-toxic. You don't have to choose between "keeps my cat safe" and "survives my schedule."
Spider plant. The spider plant is a classic first pick for new cat owners. Chlorophytum comosum is non-toxic to cats, and it's very hard to kill. One honest note: cats are weirdly into spider plants. They bat at and nibble the dangling leaves more than most plants. It's not dangerous, but if your cat is a dedicated chewer, hang it high to save the plant, not the cat. Try the Bonnie Curly Spider Plant or the Reverse Spider Plant.
Parlor palm. A parlor palm is the pet-safe way to get that soft, leafy, floor-plant look. The parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is non-toxic. That matters, because a very different plant sold as a "palm," the sago palm (Cycas revoluta), is severely toxic to cats and isn't a true palm at all. The Parlor Palm is one of the most forgiving plants on this list.
Peperomia. Peperomias are compact, come in dozens of leaf styles, and the common varieties (like Peperomia obtusifolia and Peperomia caperata) are non-toxic to cats. They're perfect for a shelf a cat can't fully commit to destroying. Good ones to start with: Peperomia 'Marble' and Peperomia 'Rosso'.
The prayer plant family, colorful and cat-safe
If you want color and pattern without toxicity, the Marantaceae family is the place to look. Prayer plants and calatheas bring the dramatic foliage, and they're non-toxic.
Prayer plant (Maranta). The classic prayer plant, with painted-looking leaves that fold up at night, is non-toxic to cats and dogs. Ours is the Maranta 'Lemon Lime' Prayer Plant. It likes humidity and indirect light, so it's a bit fussier than a spider plant, but nothing scary.
Calathea. Calatheas (now often reclassified as Goeppertia) are the showstoppers of the pet-safe world: rattlesnake patterns, rose-painted medallions, the works. Calathea is non-toxic. They reward attention with steady moisture and humidity, so they suit an intermediate plant owner more than a true beginner, but a cat owner who wants drama can have it safely. Two easy places to start: Calathea 'Medallion' and Calathea 'Rattlesnake'.
The ferns, humidity-lovers and cat-safe
True ferns are broadly non-toxic to cats, which makes them a great pick for a bright bathroom or a humid corner. The important catch is the name "fern" gets borrowed by plants that aren't ferns at all.
- Bird's Nest Fern (in stock): ripply, architectural, and one of the easier ferns. It isn't known to be toxic and is widely treated as pet-safe.
- Maidenhair Fern (in stock): delicate and gorgeous, but thirsty and a little dramatic about humidity. It isn't known to be toxic and is widely treated as pet-safe.
- Staghorn Fern (in stock): the antler-shaped one you can mount on a wall, which conveniently keeps it away from cats entirely. Non-toxic.
The fern that isn't a fern: the "asparagus fern" (Asparagus densiflorus) is toxic to cats. Its berries can cause vomiting and stomach pain, and repeated skin contact can irritate. It's a common and important mix-up, so buy by botanical name, not by the word "fern."
The special-occasion picks
Money tree. The braided Money Tree (Pachira aquatica) is non-toxic, forgiving, and doubles as a classic gift, which makes it an easy pick for cat households. Worth knowing: the jade plant is also nicknamed "money plant," and that one is toxic, so go by the botanical name.
String of hearts. A String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii) is the trailing plant people fall for on sight: thin vines of little heart-shaped leaves. It isn't known to be toxic and is widely treated as pet-safe. Hanging it high is still smart, mostly so your cat doesn't turn the vines into a toy.
Hoya. Hoyas (wax plants) are slow-growing and quietly collectible, with thick waxy leaves and, eventually, clusters of star-shaped flowers. The wax plant (Hoya carnosa) is non-toxic. Ours is the Hoya 'Tricolor' Wax Plant.
The plants to keep away from cats, so this list means something
A pet-safe list is only trustworthy if it's honest about what's not safe. The common houseplants to keep out of a cat's reach entirely:
Lilies are the dangerous one. True lilies (Lilium) and daylilies (Hemerocallis) can cause kidney failure in cats from even small exposures. Pollen, a nibble, or the vase water can all do it. Lilies and cats should never share a home.
Confused about peace lilies? Despite the name, they aren't true lilies. Here's what a peace lily actually does to a cat, and why it's a different kind of risk.
- Pothos and philodendron: insoluble calcium oxalate crystals cause mouth and stomach irritation. Common, and worth knowing.
- Snake plant, aloe, dracaena, monstera: all toxic to cats to some degree, mostly causing drooling, vomiting, or mouth irritation rather than organ damage. If a monstera is the plant you're worried about, here's how serious monstera is for cats. The ZZ plant contains calcium oxalate crystals and is widely treated as toxic to pets, so keep it out of reach.
If any of those are already in your home, you don't necessarily have to rehome them. Just place them where a determined cat can't get to them. But if you're building from scratch and want to stop thinking about it, shop the safe list.
If your cat does eat something toxic, call your vet or an animal poison control hotline.
How to have plants and a cat
A few habits that keep plants and cats out of trouble:
Height is your friend. Trailing plants belong up high anyway. A shelf, a hanging planter, or a plant stand solves most chewing.
Give them their own plant. A pot of cat grass redirects a determined chewer away from your real plants. Most plant-chewing is boredom or a craving for greens, so give them a legal target.
Deter, don't punish. Cats dislike certain textures and smells around pots. A few large pebbles on the soil surface also stop digging, which is often what they're really after.
You don't have to give up either the plants or the cat. You just have to be a little deliberate about which plants, and where.
Shop the safe list
If you want the whole set in one place, our pet-safe plant collection is exactly that, so you can shop without second-guessing every leaf.
Beginner + cat-safe
Bonnie Curly Spider Plant
Pet-safe
Soft leafy floor plant
Parlor Palm 'Chamaedorea'
Pet-safe
Want plants you never have to second-guess?
Our pet-safe collection puts the pet-friendly picks in one place.
Shop pet-safe plantsQuick questions, honest answers
Are any of these plants completely safe if my cat eats a lot?
Non-toxic means it won't poison your cat, not that it's food. A cat that eats a big pile of any plant can still vomit or get mild stomach upset from the fiber. The picks on this list won't cause the poisoning that a lily or a pothos can, which is the distinction that matters.
What's the single most dangerous plant to keep away from cats?
Lilies. True lilies and daylilies can cause kidney failure in cats from tiny exposures, including pollen and vase water. If you have a cat, don't bring lilies into the house at all.
Is a "palm" or a "fern" always safe?
No, and this is where people get caught. The parlor palm is safe, but the sago palm (not a true palm) is severely toxic. True ferns like bird's nest are safe, but the asparagus fern (not a true fern) is toxic. Buy by botanical name, not by the common word.
A quick note: we're plant people, not veterinarians. This post is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet ate a plant or seems unwell, call your vet or an emergency vet right away.
