With indoor house plants making a comeback, many people are reaping the benefits they offer. Although plants are great for people, not all of them are right for our homes. Especially if we have pets. Do I have you wondering which house plants are safe for pets now?
Why Aren’t All Plants Safe?
Well, to put it frankly, certain indoor plants are actually pretty poisonous if ingested by your cat or dog. Not every pet is a naughty nibbler, and if you already have a potentially toxic plant in your home consider moving it safely out of reach from paws and jaws. There’s something very romantic about a leafy plant cascading down the side of a bookshelf; it’s also a great hack to make sure your small dog can’t get to it. Alternatively, you can also spray your indoor and outdoor plants with lemon juice mixed with water to keep curious noses at bay! Cats and dogs hate the smell of lemons, so if you have a pet that likes to chew on everything, consider adding lemon spray to even non-toxic plants to keep them in tip- top shape.
Toxic Plants
Sadly, some of the prettiest plants on the market are extremely toxic to our furry family members. A few of these plants are aloe vera, birds of paradise, fiddle leaf fig, rubber trees, and lilies. As beautiful as they are, keeping your pet family members safe should be of the highest priority.
Which House Plants Are Safe For Pets
Don’t be discouraged if you had your eye set on one of the toxic plants above, there are still many options out there for you to choose from. Blue Echeveria, Pachira Aquatica, and Peperomia are great pick when it comes to house plants that are safe for pets.
The following infographic is a handy chart that outlines the plants that are poisonous to pets — and the plants that are safe. If you don’t see the plant you are looking for and need a more extensive list, the ASPCA offers a long list of other options.
Although there’s nothing quite like the sight and scent of lilies, it’s best to keep them out of your home if you have pets and young children. Lily-of- the-Valley and Peace Lilies are both highly toxic. They contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause the tongue to swell dramatically.
If you suspect that your pet has eaten something toxic, call your vet at once. If you’re dealing with a midnight snack that has gone horribly wrong, you can call the pet poison helpline 24-hours a day, although they charge a $65 consultation fee.
What a great read – and how well presented! We have three dogs and two cats at home, and ours are constantly knocking over the plants (the kids are pretty good at it too!) I hadn’t put any thought into whether our plants are pet safe or not before reading so thanks for the great (if slightly worrying) info. I will be sure to check them now!
I figured most of the plants i have are toxic for pets. I don’t have any, but its good to keep in mind because I do pet sit from time to time.
This is a great list. I know my cats love to eat plants. I also
Make sure my plants are non toxic to kids, as little kids love to chew on everything.
This is great information. I had no idea aloe was toxic for pets. I am going to pin this for future reference!
I have 3 dogs, so this is such an informative post for me! Seems I never know enough to help them living healthy!
Thank you!! I always worry about my cat eating my plants. I love having them in the house
Love this! Thank you! I have both cats and dogs and this is great!
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This is a fantastic read! I didn’t know certain plants combat certain household health issues. So cool!
great read and very informative! thanks for sharing. i have a pug at home and want to keep him safe and healthy, so i will keep your pointers in mind! xo, sharon
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I work really hard on our outside garden but I think I need to add some more indoor plants. I didn’t realize all the benefits! I also didn’t realize lilies were toxic to pets.
Great post. I love houseplants and gardening generally. This is a really great resource to have, thanks!
This is really helpful. I would recommend this to my mom, because we have pets in our house and she’s worried that they might eat the plants she recently bought which is might not that safe for them. I think she will be happy for this. Thank you. 🙂
I do not have any pets so I am not familiar with this. This was super informative!
I never even thought about which plants are safe for my animals. They currently live with my parents still and she has an aloe Vera plant. I hope my now outdoor cat doesn’t try to eat it.
I know that there are unsave plants for homes with pets but i admit I’ve never researched it and I have dogs!
This is definitely good to know with my little Yorky! Also if we get another pet in the future thank you for sharing
So good to know! I have many, many plants in my room where I do most of my work. I didn’t realize that some of them could harm my cat.. Thanks for sharing!
I’m not a plant-y person, so I do not have plants in my house that would cause my dog to be affected, but these are some good tips in case I ever decide to get any plants
i didn’t know some of these. i’m glad i know now! thanks for sharing
I have a number of those plants in my home and, thankfully, my cat is not a nibbler at all. I love the health tips you mentioned as they are part of the reason why I love having indoor plants too. 🙂
Known for its beautiful, large split leaves, the swiss cheese plant is sadly not a good choice inside the house.