10 Houseplants Listed as Non-Toxic to Cats and Dogs

Looking for a plant your cat or dog can live alongside? Meet the cast: a showy peacock, an unbothered cast iron plant and a fern that likes its own routine. These ten choices have safety references linked below, but non-toxic does not mean edible. Chewing any plant material can upset a pet's stomach, so keep plants out of reach when you can.

Start with the botanical name, then match the plant to your light and the time you have for care. A shop label that only says “palm” or “prayer plant” is not enough to confirm a safety listing.

Pick a personality that fits your home

Each numbered plant below has a linked safety reference and a first care check. If a pet has already chewed something and seems unwell, contact a veterinarian rather than using this list as a diagnosis.

1. Calathea sold under a confirmed Calathea name

The patterned performer likes filtered light and a lightly moist, draining mix. Brown edges? Check the mix, water source and exposure to strong sun before changing everything at once. This photo shows Goeppertia makoyana, a plant also sold as Calathea makoyana; confirm the exact plant you buy. Safety source: ASPCA.

2. Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

The easygoing parent often makes little plantlets. Give it bright, indirect light and check the pot before watering. Yellowing leaves? Feel below the surface and empty any water trapped in the outer pot before offering another drink. Safety source: ASPCA.

3. Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis')

The lush, slightly demanding one appreciates filtered light and a mix that does not dry out completely. Crisp fronds? Check whether the root zone dried out and whether the plant sits in hot, dry air; do not assume one brown frond proves a single cause. Safety source: ASPCA.

4. Baby rubber plant (Peperomia obtusifolia)

The calm one with glossy, rounded leaves likes bright, indirect light. Let the upper mix dry before watering. Soft leaves and a wet pot? Check drainage and roots before giving it more water. Safety source: ASPCA.

5. Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

An elegant, slower-paced housemate for filtered light. Let the mix dry slightly between waterings and drain the pot. Brown leaf tips? Check the whole routine, including water, dry air and draughts, before making a big change. Safety source: ASPCA.

6. Polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)

The colourful attention-seeker rewards bright filtered light and even moisture with drainage. Long, sparse stems? Review light and pinch back leggy growth to keep it compact. Safety source: ASPCA.

7. Haworthia sold with a confirmed botanical name

The quiet sculptural one likes bright light and a mix that dries between waterings. Leaves turning soft? Check whether the pot has stayed wet. “Haworthia” covers several plants, so confirm the botanical name rather than relying on a lookalike photo. Safety source: ASPCA.

8. African violet (Saintpaulia spp.)

Small, velvety and happy to be admired up close. Give African violet bright indirect light, check moisture in the mix and avoid leaving the crown wet. No flowers? Review light and general care before adding more fertiliser. Safety source: ASPCA.

9. Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)

The resilient, low-fuss character of the group tolerates filtered light and some shade. Check the mix before watering. Slow growth? First check how much light reaches it; a tolerant plant still needs light to grow. Safety source: ASPCA.

10. Maranta leuconeura

The leaf-folding performer suits filtered light and a consistently moist, draining mix. Curling or browned leaves? Check moisture and the room conditions before treating the leaf shape as a diagnosis. UF/IFAS Extension lists this exact species as non-toxic.

Before you buy

Ask for the scientific name if a shop label only says “prayer plant,” “palm” or “Peperomia.” Those names cover different plants, and a safety listing for one species does not automatically apply to every lookalike. Confirm the plant against a reliable source, especially when pets may chew it. Check the plant itself too: sprays, fertiliser and potting materials have separate risks.

The ASPCA advises that eating any plant material may cause vomiting or stomach upset. If your pet becomes unwell after chewing a plant, contact a veterinarian or animal poison service. Keep fertiliser, pesticides and potting materials out of reach too.

Use a care check, not a rigid calendar

Light, pot size and season change how quickly a mix dries. Use reminders to check the plant and pot, then record what you actually did. If several clues overlap, Plant Doctor in Premium can use the care history you have saved and a photo if you choose to suggest possible causes and next checks. Review those suggestions against what you see; it cannot confirm a pet safety question or replace a veterinarian.

Photo credits

The photos above are displayed as square crops. Calathea example by Daderot (CC0); spider plant by Joanne Kollar (CC BY 4.0); Boston fern by themozhi's pixel displays (CC BY 2.0); baby rubber plant by Jerzy Opiola (CC BY-SA 4.0); parlor palm by Cindy Christian (CC BY 4.0); polka dot plant by Cindy Christian (CC BY 4.0); Haworthia example by Abu Shawka (CC0); African violet by Anita Bozic (CC0); cast iron plant by rrei320 (CC BY 2.0); Maranta by Maja Dumat (CC BY 4.0). Licences: CC0, CC BY 2.0, CC BY 4.0 and CC BY-SA 4.0.