House Plants Safe for Cats: 17 ASPCA Non-Toxic Picks

The house plants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats include spider plant, Boston fern, parlor palm, areca palm, ponytail palm, calathea, prayer plant, African violet, moth orchid (Phalaenopsis), Christmas cactus, zebra haworthia, cast iron plant, money tree, blunt-leaf peperomia, polka dot plant, the wax plant cultivar 'Krinkle Kurl' and blushing bromeliad. Each one below links to, or names, the ASPCA entry it comes from.

Read non-toxic the way the ASPCA defines it. Its database says plants listed as non-toxic are not expected to be life-threatening to pets, but that eating any plant material may cause vomiting and stomach upset in dogs and cats. The list is also, in the ASPCA's words, a compilation of the most frequently encountered plants and not all-inclusive. A plant missing from it has simply not been assessed there.

The list is by species, so the first job is knowing which species you have. Many shop labels only say "tropical foliage". Photograph the whole plant and a leaf close-up and let the app name it, then check that name here.

Palms and palm look-alikes:

• Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans). ASPCA also files it as bamboo palm and good luck palm. Non-toxic to dogs and cats. Our entry.
• Areca palm (Dypsis lutescens), also golden butterfly palm or cane palm. Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Our entry.
• Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata), filed by the ASPCA as pony tail, elephant-foot tree or bottle palm. Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The ASPCA places it in the agave family, not the palm family.

Ferns and foliage:

• Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), also ribbon plant or spider ivy. Non-toxic to dogs and cats. Our entry.
• Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata 'Bostoniensis'). Non-toxic to dogs and cats. Our entry.
• Calathea (Calathea species). Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Our entry.
• Prayer plant (Maranta). The ASPCA entry is filed under Calathea insignis and lists Maranta, peacock plant and rattlesnake plant as other names; non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
• Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), also bar room plant. Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
• Money tree (Pachira aquatica). Listed non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, but the same ASPCA entry records nausea, vomiting and loose stool as possible signs.
• Blunt-leaf peperomia (Peperomia obtusifolia), also baby rubber plant. On the ASPCA non-toxic list for cats.
• Polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya). The ASPCA cat list files it under the name baby's tears.

Succulents and trailing plants:

• Zebra haworthia (Haworthia fasciata). Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
• Wax plant (Hoya carnosa 'Krinkle Kurl'), also Hindu rope plant or porcelain flower. The ASPCA entry names this cultivar; non-toxic to dogs and cats.

Flowering plants:

• Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis). Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Our entry.
• African violet (Saintpaulia). Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Our entry.
• Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii), also Easter cactus in the ASPCA entry. Non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Our entry.
• Blushing bromeliad (Neoregelia). On the ASPCA non-toxic list for cats under the name Aregelia.

Of the flowering plants above, African violet, moth orchid, Christmas cactus and blushing bromeliad are on the ASPCA non-toxic list. Among cut flowers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria) causes only mild stomach upset, vomiting and diarrhoea, if a cat or dog eats a large amount.

The flowers to keep out of a cat household entirely are true lilies. The FDA names Asiatic, Easter, Japanese show, Oriental, rubrum, stargazer, tiger and wood lilies, plus daylilies, and says the whole plant is toxic: stem, leaves, flowers, pollen and even the water in the vase. Moving a bouquet out of reach does not remove the risk, since the FDA lists pollen among the toxic parts.

Several other florist and seasonal plants are on the ASPCA toxic list. Check our entries for tulip, daffodil, hyacinth, chrysanthemum, cyclamen, kalanchoe and azalea before bringing them home.

True lilies come first. The FDA gives the timeline: early signs such as low activity, drooling, vomiting and loss of appetite start 0 to 12 hours after a cat eats any part of the plant, and kidney failure follows within 24 to 72 hours, leading to death if the cat is not treated. The ASPCA lily entry lists the clinical sign for cats in two words: kidney failure. See our lily entry.

Sago palm is second. The ASPCA lists Cycas revoluta and Zamia species as toxic to dogs, cats and horses; the toxin is cycasin, and the signs run from vomiting and bloody stools to liver failure. See our sago palm entry.

A much larger group causes painful mouth irritation rather than organ failure: plants containing insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, such as pothos, dieffenbachia, peace lily, monstera and philodendron. The FDA describes peace lily and calla lily as causing mouth and throat irritation, not kidney failure. Aloe, jade plant and snake plant are also on the ASPCA toxic list.

Common names are where most mistakes happen, because one word can cover a harmless plant and a dangerous one.

• Palm. Parlor palm, areca palm and ponytail palm are all listed non-toxic. Sago palm is a cycad, not a palm; the ASPCA also files it under coontie palm and cardboard palm, and it can cause liver failure.
• Lily. The FDA splits lilies into three groups for cats: true lilies and daylilies (kidney failure), lily of the valley and gloriosa lily (the FDA says lily of the valley makes the heart beat abnormally), and peace lily and calla lily (mouth and throat irritation). Only the plant's scientific name tells you which group you have.
• Money plant. The ASPCA money tree entry is Pachira aquatica and lists money plant as another name. In the Indian subcontinent, money plant usually means pothos (Epipremnum aureum), which the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats.
• Baby's tears. The ASPCA cat list files polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) under this name, so search by scientific name, not by the label.

There is also a look-alike trap. Calathea and prayer plant have patterned leaves much like Chinese evergreen and dieffenbachia, which are both toxic. Our Chinese evergreen guide gives a vein-count test for separating the last two, and a photo ID settles the rest.

No. The ASPCA toxic list covers plants reported to have systemic effects on animals or intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract, and dozens of ordinary houseplants are on it. Even the plants on the non-toxic list can make a cat vomit if it eats enough.

Three working rules follow from the sources:

• If you cannot name the species, treat the plant as toxic until you can. Our guide Is my houseplant safe for cats? walks through the identify-then-check routine.
• If a species is not on the ASPCA list, that is an unknown, not a pass; the ASPCA says its list is not all-inclusive.
• A non-toxic plant that a cat chews every day is still a problem worth moving. Hanging planters or a room the cat cannot enter protect both the cat and the plant.

Call your veterinarian, ASPCA Animal Poison Control on (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661 straight away; do not wait for symptoms. The ASPCA notes that a consultation fee may apply. The FDA's instruction for any suspected lily exposure is to call a veterinarian or pet poison control centre immediately.

Have the plant, or a clear photo of it, to hand, and note roughly how much was eaten and when. Do not try to make the cat vomit or give home remedies unless a professional tells you to.

Research and drafting for this page were done with the help of AI, and every figure was then checked line by line against the sources listed at the end of the page. Sources were opened on 2026-09-25. If you find a mistake, tell us and we will correct it.

For bouquets, the ASPCA lists roses, zinnias, snapdragons, gerbera (Barberton) daisies, camellias and petunias as non-toxic to cats, while lavender, carnations, chrysanthemums, tulips, daffodils, hydrangeas, irises, gladiolas, peonies, amaryllis and calla lilies are on its toxic list. Our flowers that are non toxic to cats page gives the ASPCA entry for each and the name traps to check in a mixed bouquet.