I aim to cover every square inch of my apartment with plants, like many other urban-dwelling millennials who lack the luxury of an outside space. My cat, who will obsessively eat anything that is not cat food, is the only thing standing in my way besides my inability to keep anything green alive for longer than a week.
The bad news is that cats are poisoned by a lot of plants. The good news is that there are a ton of low-maintenance pet-safe alternatives available. Look no further if, like me, you have an endless Pinterest board of plants and are a cat mom. Here are a few lovely plants that are good for cats to get you started on creating the indoor jungle of your dreams.
Please be aware that although though the following plants are not dangerous to cats and dogs, you should always use caution when introducing any plants into a home where there are animals.
Ponytail Palm
Ponytail palms are essentially succulents, despite what their name would suggest. This is the ideal plant for people with poor gardening skills because it can survive in dry soil and only needs bright sunlight for roughly half the year.
To enable them to withstand even the lowest light levels in the winter, Gardening Know How advises leaving your ponytail palm outdoors during the summer. Only two to three times a year must they be fertilized.
Parlour Palm
Parlour palms, sometimes known as bamboo palms, are lovely and cat-friendly plants that also act as natural air cleaners.
The Spruce advises placing your parlour palm in a space with average humidity and bright, indirect light. Don’t overwater the soil; it should be damp but not completely wet.
Spider Plant
This is the plant to choose if you want one that is practically unkillable and safe for cats. Spider plants may thrive in a variety of situations and require little upkeep.
Spider plants enjoy lower temps and bright, indirect sunshine, according to Gardening Know How. In between waterings, let the soil dry out. Don’t panic if you start to see brown tips on your plant; simply give it a good watering (distilled water, or even rain water is best).
Cast Iron Plant
The Spruce, though, suggests putting it in bright sunshine or a semi-shaded area (but not in the direct sun). In the spring and summer, the soil needs to be maintained moist; in the winter, less watering is necessary. Keep your cast iron plant away from extremely cold environments.
American Rubber Plant
American rubber plants, often known as baby rubber plants, pepper faces, or just rubber plants, are robust, gorgeous, and good for pets. Avoid their larger cousins, the rubber trees, as they are poisonous to both cats and dogs.
According to Apartment Therapy, strong sunshine is ideal for rubber plants to grow (but not direct sunlight). Keep the soil moist in the summer, and water only once to twice a month in the winter, using lukewarm water.
Red Prayer Plant
Although there are many different types of prayer plants, red prayer plants are particularly distinctive for their vivid Redveins, you guessed it.
Even though prayer plants typically tolerate low light, Gardening Know How advises leaving them in bright, indirect sunlight. In the summer, the plant needs more water than it does in the winter since it enjoys high humidity. Additionally, it is advised to check your plant carefully before taking it inside because prayer plants are known to draw pests.
Boston Fern
All varieties of ferns are popular among plant collectors, and many are thought to be cat-safe. Boston ferns, often known as sword ferns, are a low-maintenance alternative.
Boston ferns need chilly temperatures, high humidity, and filtered sunshine, according to Gardening Know How. Check the soil frequently for dryness because it should always be moist.
Polka Dot Plant
The Spruce suggests that polka dot plants thrive in direct sunshine because it preserves their distinctive color. In the summer, keep the soil moist, and water less in the winter.
Rattlesnake Plant
Not to be confused with snake plants, which are poisonous to cats, are rattlesnake plants. can reach a height of 30 inches. Their distinctively patterned leaves serve as an easy way to recognize them.
Rattlesnake plants should be grown in containers with holes, according to Gardening Know How, and “a substantial amount of sand to facilitate drainage. Rattlesnake plants are native to Brazil, and they thrive under indirect sunshine and temps over 60 F. (15 C). Water the plant just enough to properly moisten it without drowning it.
Swedish Ivy
Because it can thrive in a variety of conditions, Swedish ivy is a great plant for novices. The Garden Helper advised planting it in wet soil with some shade. Water frequently, but be careful not to overwater, since this might cause root rot.
Trying to find further cat-friendly plants? View the complete list of dangerous and nontoxic plants provided by the ASPCA.
What indoor plants are safe for cats?
Herbs. Great kitchen herbs that are completely safe for your pet to eat are basil, rosemary, and thyme. Leave these plants to spend the entire day hanging out under a window because they enjoy direct light.
What types of houseplants are safe for cats to consume?
The ASPCA has provided the following list of plants that are safe for dogs and cats.
- black violets
- Palm areca
- little rubber plant
- infant’s tears (can cause mild vomiting and diarrhea)
- fern of Boston
- Holiday cactus
- Palm parlor
- palm a pony
- prayer tree
- Succulents (While some are poisonous (see above), many others, such as blue echeveria (also known as hen and chicks), burro’s tail, Mexican rosettes, copper rose, plush plant, tree cactus, and wax rosettes, are safe for pets.)
- wax tree
Given their playful personalities and inquisitive natures, cats make for an interesting companion in life. Change your indoor flora to restore serenity to your home if your houseplants are the focus of their excursions.
Feed your cat a diet that maintains the balance of their gut ecology so they may better absorb essential nutrients and maintain a strong immune system for a healthy, content cat. All of NutriSource’s pet meals are created using the ground-breaking Good 4 Life approach, which promotes intestinal health. You can get NutriSource from a neighborhood, independent pet store.
Which plants resist cats?
The Christmas Cactus is undoubtedly the houseplant that every cat will stay away from. No matter how inquisitive your pet is, they will leave it alone—possibly after getting poked a few times. It won’t harm them even if they decide to take a bite off of this spiky plant.
Cats avoid several plants for a variety of reasons, including their aroma in addition to texture. Cats’ sense of smell is excellent. For instance, a domestic cat has over 70 million olfactory receptors. With only 5 million olfactory receptors, that is 14 times more than humans, but only around three times as many as dogs, who have an astounding 225 million receptors.
Even while cats’ sense of smell may not be the best, it is still quite remarkable. Even smells that appear acceptable to us may irritate them. Knowing the smells that cats detest is thus one of the simplest ways to identify the best houseplants that they will leave alone.
Smells That Cats Hate
Everybody has a certain odor they dislike, and cats are no exception. Utilizing your cat’s keen sense of smell, you may make natural repellents that will keep them out of particular areas of your home or make them stay away from your indoor plants.
While some of these plants can continuously irritate your dogs or have negative health effects, others work quite well as non-toxic repellents. They won’t only leave it alone, but it will also help you identify the areas of the house where they are not allowed to play.
Use of lemon balm is your best option. Given that most cats avoid citrus in general, this plant is a top pick for homes with cats. Even the ASPCA has approved lemon balm as a non-toxic plant for dogs, cats, AND horses (although you may not have a horse in your house).
However, there are two problems with this: first, these are not houseplants, and second, the aroma that these fruits generate may be too strong for cats. Fruits like lemon, orange, and grapefruit could potentially serve as a deterrent. Be extremely cautious because there are rumors that these fruits can be poisonous to cats.
Although menthol, wintergreen, and mint all work, you shouldn’t utilize these plants. It’s fine for our sense of smell, but when you multiply it by 14 you get a strong fragrance that cats find unpleasant and upsetting. Cats only need one whiff to recognize what their owner is up to, and once they do, they simply remain motionless in the opposite corner until the plants are taken out.
Even if your cats can put up with its unpleasant smell, it’s still terrible for them to be around these plants because they are poisonous if consumed. It is advised for cat-occupied homes to stay away from these plants because they will never get along with felines. Make sure to store these plants safely in case you need them for personal use.
Another kind of houseplants that cats detest is herbs and spices. Many people make the error of adding rue, cinnamon, and lavender in their gardens since cats won’t bother them. However, these might poison cats if used in large quantities.
Again, Rosemary is the only herb you should use in this scenario because it has been approved by the ASPCA as being safe for cats.
Rue might or might not succeed. There are better solutions out there, so I’d advise against this one. On the other side, rosemary will function well but it can only be grown in warm climates.
There are many fragrances that cats dislike, but these are the most typical ones you’ll encounter. You can choose more houseplants that your cats will ignore if you are aware of the smells they detest.
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)
Christmas cactus is arguably the best choice for a houseplant in a cat-occupied home, although we recognize that cacti may not be appropriate for many houses. Naturally, cats will avoid this spiky creature because they don’t want to get stung, therefore this is usually the case.
The best thing is that the Christmas Cactus has been confirmed non-toxic for dogs, cats, AND horses by the ASPCA!
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
This plant, which your cat will undoubtedly detest, only does well in warm climates. Most cats will stay away from Rosemary due to its strong aroma. However, because some people enjoy playing with Rosemary, it’s not a guarantee. If you live somewhere with warm temperatures, this plant is definitely the first you should attempt because it’s unusual.
Again, the ASPCA has determined that Rosemary is safe for pets to munch on, so you’re fine to go with this one.
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
This houseplant requires a steady supply of water, good drainage, and at least five hours of direct sunlight each day, so growing it will be challenging.
The biggest fear for most cats, though, is this houseplant because of the rough texture of the foliage and its citrus aroma. Even if your cat becomes fascinated and tries to play with it or perhaps eats some of its leaves, Lemon Balm is safe and non-toxic to consume.
Thimble Cactus (Mammillaria fragilis)
this youngster. One more cactus! Yes, once more, the great ASPCA has determined that it is safe for cats, dogs, and, you guessed it, horses as well. The good thing about thimble cacti is that cats will intelligently grasp and realize that if they get too close to these thorny plants, they’ll get a nice prick.
How can a large plant be made cat-proof?
Houseplants can also be made cat-proof by giving off an unpleasant odor. Houseplant leaves with cayenne pepper sprinkled on them will cause your cat to swiftly retreat. Citrus smells are also repulsive to cats. To help keep pests away, mix orange and lemon peels with your plants in the pots. Another choice is to directly mist the foliage with orange or lemon oil that has been diluted. IMPORTANT: Citrus oil extracts, such as those used in insecticide sprays, dips, shampoos, insect repellents, food additives, and scents, are poisonous to cats and should be avoided.
Many cat owners who have issues with their cats using plants as litter boxes may buy plants with unpleasant textures so that cats will reconsider their potty habits.
To avoid digging, you can also cover the soil near the bases of the plants with some large pebbles or stones. Cat deterrents could be used around the planter, such as pinecones or aluminum foil. Another choice is to use mesh, chicken wire, or any other permeable material to cover the plant’s base.
Don’t give up if you’re still having trouble keeping your cats away from your plants. There are still some other choices.
- To keep cats out, create a plant room and seal the door. For this, sunrooms are ideal, but sunny bedrooms or baths will do.
- Use wire shelving units to enclose the plants. Although this will help safeguard the plants, very daring cats might still find a way to get their paws inside.
- Why not offer the cat some safe plants as a sort of sacrifice in addition to concentrating on indoor plants cats avoid? Cats adore lemon balm and catnip. Place a few in sturdy plastic pots and scatter the sacrifice plants around the home, keeping them away from your other plants. This will keep your annoying cat busy and could prevent damage to some of your other plants.
Are cats able to consume spider plants?
Although deemed safe for cats, spider plants are not always safe from cats. Many felines simply can’t help themselves, as was already explained. There is a valid justification for this. Chemicals identified in spider plants are comparable to those in opium. Our feline friends experience a moderate psychedelic impact from these substances. Now that you know why Fluffy often appears fairly wide-eyed after consuming these plants, you can stop wondering.
Succulents—are they safe for cats?
Are succulents harmful to animals? Hopefully your pets aren’t damaging your plants by chewing on them or digging them up for pleasure. If they do, though, should you be concerned about poisoning or toxicity? Fortunately, the majority of succulents are thought to be non-toxic and safe for pets to consume.
Some can cause mild symptoms when consumed, while others contain skin irritants that might cause minor skin irritations. However, some succulents can be deadly if consumed in high quantities.
The following list of 9 succulents can be toxic to pets:
A big and well-known genus called Aloe contains small dwarf species and giant tree-like species that can reach heights of up to 30 feet (10m). They feature large, fleshy leaves that range in color from green to bluish green. On the stem surfaces of some kinds, there are white flecks.
Aloe vera is harmful to both cats and dogs when consumed, despite the fact that it is well known for its many medical and useful benefits for people. Aloe’s principal toxin, saponin, which is a substance found in it, can seriously harm your pet’s health.