Best Pet-Safe Houseplants (Non-Toxic to Cats & Dogs)

If you share your home with a cat or dog that likes to nibble, the safest move is to start with plants that are genuinely non-toxic. Every plant below is listed by the ASPCA as non-toxic to cats and dogs, so an exploratory chew means, at most, a little stomach upset — not a poisoning emergency.

117 plants · Updated June 7, 2026

African Violet Saintpaulia ionantha Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Air Plant Tillandsia ionantha Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Aluminum Plant Pilea cadierei Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Areca Palm Dypsis lutescens Medium · Bright indirect light · waters about weekly 🐾 Pet-safe Artillery Plant Pilea microphylla Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Autumn Fern Dryopteris erythrosora Medium · Medium light · waters every 5–7 days 🐾 Pet-safe Baby Rubber Plant Peperomia obtusifolia Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Baby Tears Soleirolia soleirolii Easy · Medium light · waters every 3–5 days 🐾 Pet-safe Bamboo Palm Chamaedorea seifrizii Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Banana Plant Musa acuminata Medium · Direct light · waters every 3–5 days 🐾 Pet-safe Bird's Nest Fern Asplenium nidus Easy · Medium light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Blue Star Fern Phlebodium aureum Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Boston Fern Nephrolepis exaltata Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 5–7 days 🐾 Pet-safe Bougainvillea Bougainvillea glabra Medium · Direct light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Bromeliad Bromeliaceae (family) Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Bunny Ear Cactus Opuntia microdasys Easy · Direct light · waters every 3–4 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Burro's Tail Sedum morganianum Easy · Direct light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Cactus Cactaceae Easy · Direct light · waters every 3–4 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Calathea Calathea spp. Hard · Medium light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Calathea Orbifolia Goeppertia orbifolia Hard · Medium light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Cape Primrose Streptocarpus spp. Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Cast Iron Plant Aspidistra elatior Easy · Low light · waters every 14–21 days 🐾 Pet-safe Cat Palm Chamaedorea cataractarum Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Cattleya Orchids Cattleya spp. Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Chinese Fan Palm Livistona chinensis Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Chinese Money Plant Pilea peperomioides Easy · Bright indirect light · waters about weekly 🐾 Pet-safe Christmas Cactus Schlumbergera bridgesii Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 10–14 days 🐾 Pet-safe Creeping Charlie Pilea nummulariifolia Easy · Medium light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Crocodile Fern Microsorum musifolium Medium · Medium light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Ctenanthe Ctenanthe burle-marxii Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Dendrobium Orchid Dendrobium nobile Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days in growth, every 14–21 days in winter rest 🐾 Pet-safe Earth Star Cryptanthus bivittatus Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Easter Cactus Hatiora gaertneri Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Elephant Bush Portulacaria afra Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Elkhorn Fern Platycerium bifurcatum Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Fairy Castle Cactus Acanthocereus tetragonus Easy · Direct light · waters every 3–4 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe False Aralia Plerandra elegantissima Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Flame Violet Episcia cupreata Hard · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Friendship Plant Pilea involucrata Easy · Medium light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Frosty Fern Selaginella kraussiana Hard · Low light · waters every 3–5 days 🐾 Pet-safe Furry Feather Calathea Goeppertia rufibarba Medium · Medium light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Ghost Plant Graptopetalum paraguayense Easy · Direct light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Gloxinia Sinningia speciosa Hard · Bright indirect light · waters every 5–7 days 🐾 Pet-safe Golden Barrel Cactus Echinocactus grusonii Easy · Direct light · waters every 3–4 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Goldfish Plant Nematanthus gregarius Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Heart Fern Hemionitis arifolia Medium · Low light · waters every 5–7 days 🐾 Pet-safe Hens and Chicks Sempervivum tectorum Easy · Direct light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Medium · Direct light · waters every 3–5 days 🐾 Pet-safe Hindu Rope Hoya Hoya carnosa 'Compacta' Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Holly Fern Cyrtomium falcatum Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Hoya Hoya Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Hoya Bella Hoya lanceolata bella Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Hoya Carnosa Hoya carnosa Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Hoya Kerrii Hoya kerrii Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Hoya Krimson Queen Hoya carnosa 'Krimson Queen' Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Hoya Linearis Hoya linearis Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Hoya Obovata Hoya obovata Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Hoya Pubicalyx Hoya pubicalyx Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Impatiens Impatiens walleriana Easy · Low light · waters every 2–4 days 🐾 Pet-safe Jewel Orchid Ludisia discolor Medium · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Kangaroo Paw Fern Microsorum diversifolium Easy · Medium light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Kentia Palm Howea forsteriana Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Kimberly Queen Fern Nephrolepis obliterata Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Lady Palm Rhapis excelsa Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Lady Slipper Orchid Paphiopedilum spp. Medium · Medium light · waters every 5–7 days 🐾 Pet-safe Lemon Button Fern Nephrolepis cordifolia Easy · Medium light · waters every 5–7 days 🐾 Pet-safe Lipstick Plant Aeschynanthus radicans Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Living Stones Lithops spp. Hard · Direct light · waters every 4–8 weeks (seasonal) 🐾 Pet-safe Maidenhair Fern Adiantum raddianum Hard · Bright indirect light · waters every 3–5 days 🐾 Pet-safe Majesty Palm Ravenea rivularis Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Mexican Snowball Echeveria elegans Easy · Direct light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Mistletoe Cactus Rhipsalis baccifera Easy · Medium light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Money Tree Pachira aquatica Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Moon Cactus Gymnocalycium mihanovichii Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Moonstone Succulent Pachyphytum oviferum Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Nerve Plant Fittonia albivenis Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 5–7 days 🐾 Pet-safe Norfolk Island Pine Araucaria heterophylla Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Old Man Cactus Cephalocereus senilis Easy · Direct light · waters every 3–4 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Olive Tree Olea europaea Medium · Direct light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Oncidium Orchid Oncidium spp. Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Orchid Cactus Epiphyllum oxypetalum Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Parlor Palm Chamaedorea elegans Easy · Low light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Peacock Plant Goeppertia makoyana Medium · Medium light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Peperomia Peperomia spp. Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Peruvian Apple Cactus Cereus repandus Easy · Direct light · waters every 3–4 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Phalaenopsis Orchid Phalaenopsis sp. Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Pickle Plant Delosperma echinatum Easy · Direct light · waters every 3–4 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Pilea Pilea spp. Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Pink Jasmine Jasminum polyanthum Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Pink Quill Tillandsia cyanea Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Pinstripe Calathea Goeppertia ornata Medium · Medium light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Pitcher Plant Nepenthes spp. Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 3–5 days 🐾 Pet-safe Polka Dot Plant Hypoestes phyllostachya Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 5–7 days 🐾 Pet-safe Ponytail Palm Beaucarnea recurvata Easy · Direct light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Prayer Plant Maranta leuconeura Medium · Medium light · waters about weekly 🐾 Pet-safe Purple Passion Plant Gynura aurantiaca Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Pygmy Date Palm Phoenix roebelenii Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Rabbit's Foot Fern Davallia fejeensis Medium · Medium light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Raindrop Peperomia Peperomia polybotrya Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Rattlesnake Plant Goeppertia insignis Medium · Medium light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Ripple Peperomia Peperomia caperata Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 10–14 days 🐾 Pet-safe Sedum Sedum spp. Easy · Direct light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Shrimp Plant Justicia brandegeeana Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Spider Plant Chlorophytum comosum Easy · Bright indirect light · waters about weekly 🐾 Pet-safe Staghorn Fern Platycerium bifurcatum Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Star Cactus Astrophytum asterias Medium · Direct light · waters every 2–4 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Strawberry Begonia Saxifraga stolonifera Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe String of Hearts Ceropegia woodii Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe String of Turtles Peperomia prostrata Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Stromanthe Triostar Stromanthe sanguinea 'Triostar' Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 7–10 days 🐾 Pet-safe Sundew Drosera capensis Easy · Direct light · waters keep tray topped up 🐾 Pet-safe Swedish Ivy Plectranthus verticillatus Easy · Medium light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Urn Plant Aechmea fasciata Medium · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Vanda Orchid Vanda spp. Hard · Direct light · waters every 3–5 days 🐾 Pet-safe Venus Flytrap Dionaea muscipula Hard · Direct light · waters every 2–4 days 🐾 Pet-safe Watermelon Peperomia Peperomia argyreia Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 1–2 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe Zebra Haworthia Haworthiopsis attenuata Easy · Bright indirect light · waters every 2–3 weeks 🐾 Pet-safe

What does "pet-safe" actually mean?

Pet-safe here means the ASPCA lists the plant as non-toxic to cats and dogs — it contains no compounds known to poison them. It does not mean a pet can eat unlimited amounts with zero effect: eating a lot of any plant can cause mild, temporary vomiting or loose stool simply because it is rough on the stomach.

What you are avoiding is the genuinely dangerous category — plants with insoluble calcium oxalates (pothos, peace lily, philodendron), saponins (aloe), or worse. With the plants below, a curious nibble is a non-event rather than a vet visit.

A warning on look-alikes

Common names are slippery. A "peace lily" is toxic, while a true "lily" (Lilium) is deadly to cats — neither is on this list. Always check the botanical (Latin) name against a trusted source like the ASPCA before assuming a plant is safe, especially with cut flowers and gift plants.

Frequently asked questions

Are these plants completely safe if my cat eats them?

They are non-toxic, meaning they contain no poisonous compounds. But eating a large amount of any plant material can still cause mild, temporary vomiting or diarrhea, so it is best to discourage heavy nibbling and keep plants tidy.

What are the most dangerous common houseplants for pets?

The frequent offenders are lilies (deadly to cats), pothos, peace lily, philodendron, dieffenbachia, sago palm, and aloe. If you have pets, check any new plant against the ASPCA database before bringing it home.

Where does this safety information come from?

Each plant on this list is matched to the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plants database, the most widely cited authority on plant toxicity for cats and dogs in the US.