Plant Library
Pet-safe houseplants — 20 non-toxic plants for cats and dogs
The 20 best pet-safe houseplants confirmed non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA — spider plant, boston fern, parlor palm, calathea, and 16 more safe picks.
Pet-safe houseplants — 20 non-toxic plants for cats and dogs
If you have a cat that nibbles fronds or a dog that occasionally rips a leaf off the floor plant, the houseplant aisle gets a lot smaller in a hurry. Most popular foliage houseplants — monstera, pothos, philodendron, peace lily, ZZ plant, snake plant, dieffenbachia, jade — are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. The ASPCA maintains the canonical list of non-toxic plants, and the 20 in this guide are all on it. We have ranked them roughly by how realistic they are as everyday houseplants in a typical American home, with the easiest plants first.
Pick a pet-safe plant in 60 seconds: Photograph your spot in Growli, tell us you have a cat or dog, and we will recommend three pet-safe plants ranked by fit for your light.
Important: "non-toxic" does not mean "safe to eat"
The ASPCA non-toxic list means a plant is unlikely to cause serious illness if chewed in small amounts. It does not mean the plant is edible or that a cat eating an entire spider plant will not vomit. Most pets that chew houseplants — even pet-safe ones — will produce some drool, mild stomach upset, or temporary vomiting. The difference is between "annoying but harmless" (non-toxic plants) and "veterinary emergency" (toxic plants like lilies, dieffenbachia, sago palm).
If your cat or dog chews any plant and shows persistent vomiting, drooling, lethargy, or breathing difficulty, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or your veterinarian immediately.
This guide covers plants that are non-toxic per the ASPCA. We have cross-referenced our 200-species care database for accuracy. Sources: ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List (aspca.org), the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine pet-safe plant guidance, and our own care data.
The 20 best pet-safe houseplants
1. Spider plant — Chlorophytum comosum
The most realistic pet-safe houseplant. Long arching grass-like leaves with a creamy central stripe. Produces baby plantlets ("spiderettes") on long stems that you can pot up and share. Cats love to bat at the dangling spiderettes — and the entire plant is safe even if chewed.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Medium to bright indirect light, water when top inch dries. See spider plant care and /plant-care/spider-plant.
2. Boston fern — Nephrolepis exaltata
The classic Victorian fern. Lush arching fronds on a compact plant. Wants humidity and consistent moisture. Beautiful in a hanging basket where it stays out of dog reach but accessible to curious cats — and entirely safe for both.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Medium indirect light, keep moist, mist regularly. See /plant-care/boston-fern.
3. Parlor palm — Chamaedorea elegans
The pet-safe statement plant. Slow growing, 3–4 feet at maturity, tolerates low to medium indirect light. The single best floor palm for households with cats or dogs.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Low to medium indirect light, water when top inch dries. See /plant-care/parlor-palm.
4. Areca palm — Dypsis lutescens
The bushy clumping pet-safe palm. Yellow-green feathery fronds reaching 6–7 feet indoors. Wants bright indirect light. One of the most-recommended air-improving plants and entirely safe around pets.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Bright indirect light, keep evenly moist. See /plant-care/areca-palm.
5. Kentia palm — Howea forsteriana
The most elegant pet-safe floor plant. Slow growing, tolerant of low light, expensive — and worth it for households with pets that need a tall green plant. The single most graceful indoor palm in retail.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Medium to bright indirect light, water weekly. See /plant-care/kentia-palm.
6. Ponytail palm — Beaucarnea recurvata
The drought-tolerant pet-safe plant. Bulbous water-storing base with long thin "ponytail" leaves cascading from the top. Survives months without watering. Pet-safe and not actually a palm — it is a succulent.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Bright indirect light, water every 3–4 weeks. See /plant-care/ponytail-palm.
7. Calathea — Calathea spp.
The pet-safe pattern plant. Striking patterned leaves in stripes, herringbones, and rosettes. Many cultivars — Orbifolia, Medallion, Rattlesnake, Pinstripe. Famously fussy about humidity and water quality but entirely safe for cats and dogs.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Medium indirect light, keep evenly moist with filtered water. See calathea care and /plant-care/calathea.
8. Prayer plant — Maranta leuconeura
The fold-up pet-safe plant. Oval leaves with red veins on green; the leaves fold up at dusk like hands in prayer. Cousin of calathea, similar care, similarly safe.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Medium indirect light, keep moist, high humidity. See prayer plant care and /plant-care/prayer-plant.
9. Friendship plant — Pilea involucrata
The textured terrarium plant. Small dark green corrugated leaves with bronze veining on a compact plant. Easy to propagate from cuttings — hence "friendship" — and entirely safe for pets.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Medium indirect light, water when top inch dries, high humidity preferred. Not in our care hub yet.
10. Baby tears — Soleirolia soleirolii
The ground-cover pet-safe plant. Tiny rounded leaves on a creeping mat. Looks like green moss spilling over a pot edge. Wants consistent moisture and works beautifully in terrariums.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Medium indirect light, keep constantly moist. Not in our care hub yet.
11. Polka dot plant — Hypoestes phyllostachya
The colorful pet-safe foliage plant. Pink, red, or white spotted leaves on a compact plant. Adds color in a way most pet-safe plants do not. Wants bright indirect light to keep its spots vivid.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Bright indirect light, keep evenly moist. See /plant-care/polka-dot-plant.
12. Peperomia — Peperomia spp.
The compact pet-safe desktop plant. Watermelon peperomia (round striped leaves), baby rubber plant (thick oval leaves), ripple peperomia (textured surface). All peperomias are pet-safe. Slow-growing and forgiving.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Medium indirect light, water when top inch dries. See /plant-care/peperomia.
13. Christmas cactus — Schlumbergera
The flowering pet-safe succulent. Segmented flat green stems with pink, red, or white blooms in winter. A tropical jungle cactus (not desert). Lives for decades and produces reliable winter flowers.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Bright indirect light, water when top inch dries. See /plant-care/christmas-cactus.
14. Hoya — Hoya spp.
The trailing pet-safe succulent. Thick succulent leaves on woody vines with clusters of fragrant star-shaped flowers in mature plants. Many cultivars — heart-leaf (kerrii), wax (carnosa). All hoyas are pet-safe.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Bright indirect light, water when soil dries. See /plant-care/hoya, /plant-care/hoya-carnosa, and /plant-care/hoya-kerrii.
15. Bromeliad — Bromeliaceae
The pet-safe statement flowering plant. Stiff rosette of strap-like leaves with a colorful central "cup" flower spike that lasts for months. Water by filling the central cup. Common pet-safe genera include Guzmania, Neoregelia, and Aechmea (all on ASPCA's non-toxic list). Vriesea is not listed individually by ASPCA; the wider Bromeliaceae family is generally considered non-toxic but verify the specific species with your vet if you have a sensitive pet.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes — for ASPCA-listed genera (Guzmania, Neoregelia, Aechmea). For unlisted bromeliad species like Vriesea, verify with your vet.
Care signal: Bright indirect light, water into the central cup. See /plant-care/bromeliad, /plant-care/guzmania, and /plant-care/vriesea.
16. African violet — Saintpaulia
The pet-safe flowering classic. Compact rosette of fuzzy leaves with clusters of small purple, pink, or white flowers. Reblooms year-round in good conditions. Water from the bottom to avoid leaf spotting.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Bright indirect light, water from the bottom. See /plant-care/african-violet.
17. Haworthia — Haworthia spp.
The pet-safe succulent. Compact rosettes with stiff pointed leaves marked with white bands (zebra haworthia) or translucent windows (haworthia cooperi). Tolerates lower light than most succulents.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Bright indirect light, water every 2–3 weeks. See /plant-care/haworthia.
18. Swedish ivy — Plectranthus verticillatus
The pet-safe trailing alternative to pothos. Round scalloped glossy leaves on a trailing vine. Pleasant minty scent when brushed (it is in the mint family). White or lavender flower spikes appear off and on.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Bright indirect light, water when top inch dries. Not in our care hub yet.
19. Bird's nest fern — Asplenium nidus
The wavy-frond pet-safe fern. Solid undivided strap-like fronds emerging from a central rosette that looks like a bird's nest. More tolerant of typical American living-room humidity than boston fern. Easy to grow on a shelf or table.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. ASPCA-confirmed non-toxic.
Care signal: Medium indirect light, water around the edge of the rosette (not into the center). Not in our care hub yet.
20. Pilea peperomioides — Pilea peperomioides
The pet-safe Chinese money plant. Round pancake-shaped leaves on thin stems. Produces baby plants at the base that can be separated and shared with friends. Compact and easy.
Safe for cats: yes. Safe for dogs: yes. The Pilea genus is consistently listed non-toxic by ASPCA (Friendship Plant, Creeping Pilea, Watermelon Pilea). ASPCA does not list P. peperomioides by name, but veterinary toxicology references treat the genus uniformly — verify with your vet if your pet is a heavy chewer.
Care signal: Medium to bright indirect light, water when top inch dries. See /plant-care/pilea-peperomioides.
Toxic plants to avoid if you have cats or dogs
For reference, the most common houseplants that are toxic to pets — and should be avoided or kept entirely out of reach:
- Lilies (especially true lilies, Lilium, and daylilies, Hemerocallis) — catastrophically toxic to cats. Even pollen on fur can cause kidney failure.
- Sago palm (Cycas revoluta) — extremely toxic to dogs. Causes liver failure.
- Dieffenbachia (dumb cane) — calcium oxalate crystals cause severe mouth swelling.
- Philodendron, pothos, monstera — all contain calcium oxalates, mildly to moderately toxic.
- Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) — mildly toxic, causes drooling and oral irritation.
- ZZ plant — toxic if chewed in quantity.
- Snake plant — toxic if chewed in quantity.
- Jade plant — toxic to cats and dogs.
- Aloe vera — surprisingly toxic to pets despite its use in human first aid.
- English ivy — mildly toxic, causes drooling and stomach upset.
- Tulips, hyacinths, daffodils — bulbs are the most toxic part.
- False shamrock / purple shamrock (Oxalis triangularis) — toxic to cats and dogs. Contains soluble calcium oxalates; large ingestions can cause salivation, vomiting, and, rarely, kidney damage per the ASPCA. Often mistakenly marketed as pet-safe — it is not.
For the complete authoritative list, see the ASPCA toxic plant database (aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants).
How to choose the right pet-safe plant for your home
Three questions narrow the list fast.
How much light do you have? Most pet-safe plants want medium to bright indirect light. The only genuinely low-light tolerant pet-safe plants are parlor palm and kentia palm. If you have a north-facing room or no direct sun, your list shrinks to parlor palm, kentia palm, calathea, prayer plant, and peperomia.
Do you have a chewer or a sampler? If your cat occasionally chews a leaf or your dog occasionally yanks a frond, the spider plant, boston fern, and palm family handle this best — they are visually prolific and a missing leaf is hardly noticed. If your pet is genuinely destructive, hang plants from the ceiling or place them on shelves above pet reach. Calathea, polka dot plant, and prayer plant are not chew-tolerant — a destroyed leaf is half the plant.
How much humidity can you provide? Calathea, prayer plant, boston fern, maidenhair fern, baby tears, and friendship plant all want 50+ percent humidity. Most American homes drop to 20–30 percent in winter. If you cannot run a humidifier, skip these and go with the palm family, spider plant, hoya, haworthia, and ponytail palm — all of which tolerate dry air.
For a starter pet-safe collection in a typical American home with mixed light, the four-plant kit is: one spider plant (any spot), one parlor palm (low-light corner), one peperomia (desk or shelf), one hoya (bright indirect, drought-tolerant). That covers four totally different forms and four totally different care rhythms while keeping every plant safe for pets.
See our best houseplants ranking, low-maintenance houseplants list, and the types of houseplants overview for related angles.
Common care across the category
The pet-safe plants in this guide share a wide range of needs — there is no single care profile that covers all 20. Three patterns hold across most of them.
First, almost every pet-safe plant prefers indirect light over direct sun — the palms, ferns, calathea, prayer plant, peperomia, and hoya all suffer in afternoon south-window sun. The exceptions are the succulents (haworthia, ponytail palm) and bromeliads, which take more light.
Second, most prefer evenly moist soil over the dry-out cycles that succulent houseplants want. Calathea, prayer plant, boston fern, and baby tears need consistent moisture; spider plant, peperomia, and the palms tolerate brief drying.
Third, the pet-safe plants that tolerate dry indoor air are a smaller subset — palms, spider plant, hoya, ponytail palm, haworthia, and peperomia. Calathea, prayer plant, ferns, and baby tears need humidity supplementation in winter.
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Related articles
- Best houseplants — 12 ranked for real homes — our top picks (some toxic)
- Low-maintenance houseplants — 20 nearly unkillable picks — easy plants, mixed safety
- Types of houseplants — 30+ varieties — the broader category
- Types of ferns — 15 indoor and outdoor varieties — most ferns are pet-safe
- Spider plant care — the complete guide — deep dive on the #1 pet-safe pick
- Calathea care — for fussy pet-safe pattern plants — deep dive on calathea
- Prayer plant care — the fold-up pet-safe plant — deep dive on prayer plant
- Identify a houseplant — 4 methods — verify before bringing home
Reviewed and updated by the Growli editorial team. For questions about anything here, open Growli and ask — or email hello@getgrowli.app. Plant toxicity data sourced from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. For acute concerns about a pet that has eaten a plant, call (888) 426-4435.
Frequently asked questions
What is the safest houseplant for cats?
Spider plant is the most realistic safe houseplant for cat households. It is on the ASPCA non-toxic list, tolerates a wide range of conditions, and the dangling spiderettes give cats something to bat at without harm. Boston fern, parlor palm, and calathea are also among the safest options. Lilies (especially true lilies) are the single most dangerous plant for cats — even pollen on fur can cause kidney failure.
What is the safest houseplant for dogs?
Spider plant, boston fern, the palm family (parlor, areca, kentia, ponytail), and calathea are all on the ASPCA non-toxic list and unlikely to harm dogs even if chewed. Sago palm is the most dangerous houseplant for dogs — it causes liver failure and is often mistaken for a regular palm. Always verify the Latin name before bringing a 'palm' home if you have a dog.
Are succulents safe for cats and dogs?
Some, not all. Haworthia, christmas cactus, hoya, and burros tail are non-toxic per the ASPCA. Aloe vera, jade plant, kalanchoe, string of pearls, and euphorbia (pencil cactus) are all toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. Always check the Latin name against the ASPCA non-toxic list before buying. See our [types of succulents guide](/blog/types-of-succulents) for the broader breakdown.
Is pothos safe for cats?
No. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) — sometimes sold as 'devils ivy' — is toxic to cats and dogs. It contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause oral irritation, drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing if chewed. Spider plant and swedish ivy are the closest pet-safe trailing alternatives. See our [types of ivy guide](/blog/types-of-ivy) for safer trailing plant options.
What should I do if my cat or dog eats a houseplant?
Identify the plant first — photograph it and check against the ASPCA toxic plant database (aspca.org). For non-toxic plants, monitor for mild vomiting or drooling, which typically resolves within a few hours. For toxic plants — especially lilies in cats or sago palm in dogs — call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or your vet immediately. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed.
Are pet-safe houseplants harder to grow?
Not really. Spider plant, parlor palm, peperomia, hoya, and christmas cactus are all genuinely easy and low-maintenance. The pet-safe plants that are difficult — calathea, maidenhair fern, baby tears — are difficult because of humidity needs, not because being non-toxic makes them fussy. Easy pet-safe plants exist; you just have to pick the right ones.
What about hanging plants — are they safer because pets can't reach them?
Hanging plants are a partial solution. Most cats can reach hanging plants from a nearby shelf or piece of furniture, and many will bat at trailing leaves that hang down. Hanging plants do reduce dog access in most homes. The safest approach is to combine: hang trailing plants out of reach AND choose plants from the ASPCA non-toxic list as backup.
Where can I find the official ASPCA non-toxic plant list?
The complete searchable database is at aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants. You can search by plant name and filter by cats or dogs. Each entry confirms toxicity status, lists the toxic principle when applicable, and describes typical clinical signs. We cross-referenced every plant in this guide against the ASPCA database before publishing.