16 of the Best Cat Safe House Plants

It’s no secret that cats are curious creatures. Even the most well-behaved pets might occasionally try a bite of a house plant. As such, it’s crucial to know how to choose the best cat safe house plants.

Other than plants that are edible for our feline friends, like cat grass and catnip, it’s best to try to keep house plants out of reach. However, any cat owner knows that precious few places around the house are genuinely off-limits for a tiny tiger.

Rest assured that you have a wide variety of available options for cat friendly house plants. Read on to discover indoor plants safe for cats and add a vibrant splash of color to your home’s interior without posing a threat to your fur babies.

Fabulous Cat Safe House Plants

The benefits of caring for both pets and plants in your home are well-known. They work wonders for mental health and emotional fulfillment in addition to adding enrichment and beauty to your life.

Thankfully, it’s possible to get all the air purifying, stress-relieving, creativity-boosting benefits of having indoor plants while keeping your naturally inquisitive cats safe. Here are some of the best options for cat friendly house plants.

1. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

In general, spider plants and cats get along fine. These classic indoor plants are vet-approved favorites that are easy to grow, tolerant of most growing conditions, and non-toxic to cats. They’re wonderfully low-maintenance plants and will continue to thrive despite a little unwanted attention from your cat. However, some felines may experience stomach upset after eating large quantities of spider plant leaves.

2. Orchids

It’s a common misconception that orchids are toxic to cats. Although it’s not the most appropriate snack, your cat will be fine if it happens to chew on an orchid plant.

Because there are thousands of species of orchids, it’s impossible to make a blanket statement that all orchids are cat safe. However, there are no species of orchids listed in Cornell University’s Poisonous Plant Informational Database.

Orchids thrive when they get indirect light. They typically bloom in the winter when the days are shorter and cooler. Specific soil and water preferences depend on the variety.

3. African Violet (Saintpaulia)

African violets are popular house plants for a multitude of reasons. They’re indoor plants safe for cats that are remarkably low-maintenance.

African violets produce gorgeous blue, purple, white, or pink flowers year-round. They grow best with moderate temperature and humidity levels and prefer low light conditions. When it comes to watering, it’s best to let them soak up water through the drain hole in the bottom of the pot to avoid damaging the leaves and flowers.

4. Air Plants (Tillandsia)

Air plants make excellent cat friendly indoor plants that are low-maintenance and don’t take up a lot of space. They don’t need to grow in potting soil, so if your cat likes to dig, this may be an excellent choice for you! They need to be soaked in water once per week and grow best in bright, indirect light. Many cat owners choose to keep their air plants in a hanger somewhere out of reach since the spindly, grass-like leaves might look like tempting cat toys.

5. Holiday Cactus (Zygocactus)

Zygocacti are gorgeous, low-maintenance, and cat safe house plants. Although they’re commonly known as Christmas Cactus, several different varieties also bloom around Thanksgiving and Easter.

They are non-toxic for cats, although they might cause intestinal upset if ingested in large amounts. They flourish in bright, indirect light and require regular watering.

6. Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus)

If you’re looking for a more unusual flowering house plant, the Lipstick Plant could be the one for you! It’s a cat friendly showstopper with tubular red flowers and trailing vines. These beauties flourish in bright light and can even live outside during the summer. They like to have consistently moist soil, so don’t forget to water them regularly.

7. Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)

These are the perfect cat friendly house plants for medium to low light conditions. Their unique red, cream, and green leaves curl up at night, giving them their nickname.

Allow the potting soil to thoroughly dry out between watering for the best results. Prayer plants are closely related to zebra plants, or Calatheas, which are also an excellent choice for non toxic plants for cats.

8. Friendship Plant (Pilea involucrata)

Friendship Plants are attractive medium to low light plants safe for cats. They get their name from how easy they are to divide and propagate.

Whether you’re giving or receiving one of these plants, you can rest assured that it poses no threat to your furry friends. These plants love humidity and are a great addition to a terrarium, which would make them even less accessible for your cat to sneak a bite.

9. Bromeliad (Bromeliaceae)

Bromeliads are vibrant, quirky tropical plants that add a lively splash of color to a room with their brightly colored flowers. Their tough, non-toxic leaves make them more resistant to the occasional nibble than most house plants. They thrive in bright light and high humidity and should get watered frequently.

10. Baby Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)

Baby Tears make charming cat-friendly house plants for hanging baskets and terrariums with long, trailing vines and adorably tiny leaves. They grow best in low light with moist, well-draining potting soil.

They can even grow as companion plants for indoor trees. This practice can be beneficial if your cat tends to dig in your larger plants’ pots. The thick mat of leaves is usually a deterrent for such behavior.

11. Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula)

The Venus Fly Trap is an all-time favorite among carnivorous plants. And it’s also on the list of indoor plants safe for cats.

Venus Fly Traps grow best in bright light and consistently moist soil. The plants are sensitive to chlorine and dissolved minerals in tap water, so watering with distilled water is best.

12. Money Tree (Pachira aquatica)

Money Trees are popular houseplants due to their ease of care and unique appearance. Multiple plants often get trained to grow in a braided pattern. They are also traditionally said to bring good fortune to the household.

Luckily, Money Trees are also cat safe house plants. They prosper in bright, indirect light and need regular watering.

13. True Ferns

Here’s where plant identification can get a bit tricky. The common name of some plants can be misleading at times.

While true ferns are non-toxic for cats, some houseplants have deceptive common names: asparagus, plumosa, lace, feather, and foxtail ferns are actually members of the lily family and are highly toxic, sometimes even fatal for cats.

Look for thin, spiky leaves that grow in a bushy pattern around a circular stem, as pictured above. They occasionally produce small, typically white flowers, while true ferns never flower.

True ferns, which are non-toxic, include maidenhair, rabbit’s foot, staghorn, bird’s nest, button, and Boston ferns, among others. Identify most true ferns by their broad, flat fronds with leaves growing laterally on either side. Staghorn ferns have singular broad, flat fronds.

Ferns prefer high humidity levels and indirect light. Most varieties grow best in consistently moist soil and should get fertilized once every month or two.

14. True Palms

The only palm known for its toxicity to cats is the Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta), pictured above. However, it isn’t a true palm but rather a Cycad. Another misleading common name, Cycads are highly toxic to cats and can cause severe gastrointestinal distress.

True palms, which are cat safe, include areca, ponytail, coconut, bamboo, and parlor palms, among others. Palms grow best in bright light and should be allowed to dry out between watering.

15. Some Succulents

Succulents are a popular houseplant choice due to their easy care and funky shapes and colors. While numerous succulents are pet-safe, there are also some succulent plants toxic to cats.

The main culprits are aloe, crown of thorns (euphorbia milii), pencil cactus (euphorbia tirucalli), all kalanchoes (like panda plant and mother of thousands), string of pearls (senecio rowleyanus), and jade (crassula ovata, crassula arborescens).

Cat-safe succulents include Mexican Snowball (echevaria), Hens & Chicks (sempervivum), Zebra Plant (haworthia), Donkey’s Tail/Lamb’s Tail (sedum morganianum), Living Stones (lithops), Ox-Tongue (gasteria), and Prickly Pear Cactus (opuntia).

Most succulents prefer bright light and dry, well-drained soil. Water needs depend on the variety, but most succulents only require occasional moisture.

16. Some garden herbs

Growing fresh herbs on the kitchen windowsill is a great way to add vibrant flavor to your meals year-round. However, to keep your kitchen safe for your cat, there are a few herbs that you should avoid. These include chamomile, chives/scallions, lavender, lemongrass, lemon verbena, marjoram, oregano, and tarragon.

However, many herbs are safe for cats, including basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Most herbs thrive in bright light and need regular watering. Basil should grow in consistently moist soil, and rosemary should dry out between watering.

Non-Cat Safe House Plants

Unfortunately, some popular indoor plants have dangerously high toxicity levels for cats. These include aloe vera, corn plant (Dracaena), English ivy (Hedera helix), jade (Crassula), peace lily (Spatiphyllum), philodendron, pothos (Epipremnum aureum), snake plant (Sansevaria), and Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa).

Fortunately, our love of pets and plants doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. If your cat is particularly interested in your houseplants and is wreaking havoc in your indoor garden, try growing some cat grass in an accessible location to give your feline friend their own plant that is nutritious and delicious, and more attractive to them than your other houseplants.

Do you have any questions or suggestions about indoor plants that are cat friendly? Please post them in the comments! If you enjoyed learning about cat safe house plants, please share this post with your fellow cat lovers.