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If you want indoor plants that are non-toxic to cats and dogs, start with the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant database and match each plant by its scientific name, not by the name printed on the nursery tag. The ten plants below are each linked to an ASPCA source, and the plants at the top of the page are the ones worth removing from a pet home first. The second half of the guide deals with a separate question: an artificial plant is not exposed to the same plant toxins as the species it copies, but it is still a decorative object with parts a pet can chew, pull loose and swallow.
Key takeaways
- Identify the plant by its scientific name before you trust any list. Common names overlap, and two plants sold under one name can belong to different genera.
- Every plant in the ten-item list below is linked to the ASPCA entry it comes from, so you can read the entry for your species and see which animals it covers.
- True lilies (Lilium species) and daylilies (Hemerocallis species) are the urgent case for cats: the FDA describes fatal kidney failure after a small exposure, including pollen or vase water.
- "Non-toxic" means serious poisoning is not expected. It is not the same claim as edible, and the ASPCA notes that any plant can cause mild stomach upset when a pet ingests it.
- An artificial version of one plant avoids that plant's natural toxins. It does not remove every risk in the room: leaves, wired stems, small detachable parts, filler and the container can all be swallowed, and swallowed pieces can choke or block.
- Height is not a guarantee. Cats climb and jump, so a shelf or hanging planter is out of reach only for as long as the animal leaves it alone.
In this guide
- Which houseplants to remove first
- Ten plants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic, with sources
- "Non-toxic" is not "safe to chew"
- Risks that belong to artificial plants
- If your pet has already eaten a plant
- Choosing greenery for a pet home
- If you are buying the artificial version
- Placement that reduces risk
- Common questions
Which houseplants to remove first
Some plants are a nuisance if chewed; a few are emergencies. The examples below are the ones the sources linked here describe in detail, and they cover both kinds of problem: the plants that can be life-threatening, and the calcium-oxalate plants that cause immediate mouth and throat pain.
- True lilies (Easter, Asiatic, Oriental, tiger, Stargazer) and daylilies
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Scientific name: Lilium species; Hemerocallis species
What the source says: The FDA states that the whole plant is toxic to cats — stem, leaves, flowers, pollen and vase water — and that even a small exposure can lead to fatal kidney failure. The FDA adds that the toxin affects cats and not dogs, and that prompt veterinary treatment improves the outcome.
- Sago palm
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Scientific name: Cycas revoluta (the ASPCA entry also covers zamia species)
What the source says: The ASPCA entry lists sago palm as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, with cycasin as the toxic principle, and warns that the seeds are the most concentrated part. The ASPCA's April 2026 plant article describes liver damage, low blood sugar and bleeding problems that can progress to seizures.
- Pothos (Devil's Ivy)
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Scientific name: Epipremnum aureum
What the source says: The ASPCA entry lists pothos as toxic to dogs and cats by insoluble calcium oxalates, with signs including intense burning of the mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
- Dieffenbachia (dumb cane)
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Scientific name: Dieffenbachia
What the source says: The ASPCA entry lists Dieffenbachia as toxic to dogs and cats by insoluble calcium oxalates plus a proteolytic enzyme, with the same oral irritation and drooling signs.
- Calla lily and peace lily
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Scientific name: Zantedeschia and Spathiphyllum (the group the FDA describes as the "less harmful" lilies)
What the source says: The FDA groups these with the calcium-oxalate plants: the crystals irritate the mouth, tongue, throat and esophagus on contact, signs usually pass on their own, and this is explicitly not the kidney-failure mechanism seen with true lilies.
Styling illustration: the frame shows the kinds of plant discussed above. The plant names used in captions on this page are visual descriptions for accessibility, not an identification of the species, and no image here is a veterinary assessment.
If a plant from the list above is within a pet's reach, the practical options are to move it into a room the animal cannot enter, or to rehome it. Moving it higher is a partial measure rather than a solution: cats climb, jump and investigate, and a shelf, hook or hanging planter is out of reach only for as long as the animal chooses to leave it alone.
The ASPCA's April 2026 article also lists tulips, oleander and autumn crocus among the plants with potentially serious consequences, and notes that the list is not the whole database. If your plant is not named on this page, the next step is the same in every case: find the entry for its scientific name.
Ten plants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic, with sources
Each row below is one ASPCA source and the scientific name that source uses. Open the link before you buy, and read which animals the entry covers — the entries are not identical on that point.
- Areca palm
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Scientific name in the source: Dypsis lutescens
Source: ASPCA entry: Areca Palm — non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
- Boston fern
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Scientific name in the source: Nephrolepis exaltata (the entry spells it Nephrolepis exalta bostoniensis)
Source: ASPCA entry: Boston Fern — non-toxic to dogs and cats. The April 2026 article uses Nephrolepis exaltata.
- Cast iron plant
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Scientific name in the source: Aspidistra elatior
Source: ASPCA entry: Cast Iron Plant — non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
- Parlor palm
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Scientific name in the source: Chamaedorea elegans
Source: ASPCA entry: Parlor Palm — non-toxic to dogs and cats.
- Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis)
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Scientific name in the source: Phalaenopsis sp.
Source: ASPCA entry: Phalaenopsis Orchid — non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The entry is genus-level; it is not a statement about every plant sold as an orchid.
- Spider plant
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Scientific name in the source: Chlorophytum comosum
Source: ASPCA article, 30 April 2026, in its list of safe plants.
- African violet
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Scientific name in the source: Streptocarpus sect. Saintpaulia
Source: ASPCA article, 30 April 2026. Note that the genus has been reclassified, which is why older pages still say Saintpaulia.
- Zebra haworthia (zebra plant)
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Scientific name in the source: Haworthiopsis attenuata (written "attenuate" in the source)
Source: ASPCA article, 30 April 2026. The article names zebra haworthia specifically; it is not a blanket statement about every plant sold as a haworthia.
- Calathea
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Scientific name in the source: Calathea spp.
Source: ASPCA entry: Calathea — non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, family Marantaceae.
- American rubber plant (baby rubber plant, pepper face)
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Scientific name in the source: Peperomia obtusifolia
Source: ASPCA entry: American Rubber Plant — non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
Styling illustration: a mixed group of houseplants. No plant in the frame is labelled, so the image is not evidence about any individual species and none of the entries in the selection above can be identified from it.
The table lists the plants whose ASPCA entry for the exact scientific name could be located and linked. Where a name that appears on many pet-plant lists could not be matched to an entry for that species, it is left off rather than repeated — that applies to the money tree (Pachira aquatica) and to the prayer plants sold as Maranta, which is a different genus from Calathea in the same family. If a label says only "prayer plant", identify the genus first and find the entry for that genus, or ask your veterinarian about the plant you actually have.
"Non-toxic" is not "safe to chew"
The ASPCA uses "non-toxic" to mean that serious poisoning is not expected, and its April 2026 article states plainly that any plant can cause mild stomach upset when a pet ingests it. That is a different claim from edible, and it is the reason a plant can be listed as non-toxic and still leave a cat drooling or a dog vomiting after an afternoon of chewing.
A live plant also brings things into the room that a listing does not cover: soil a digger can scatter, leaves that fall and get eaten, fertiliser residue on a treated plant, and a pot that can be knocked over. None of that makes the plant a bad choice — it is the reason placement and the animal's own habits matter more than the label.
Risks that belong to artificial plants
An artificial version of one plant avoids that plant's own toxins: there is no sap, pollen or oxalate crystal in the copy. That is the limit of the claim, and it is worth stating precisely, because "artificial" is often written up as if it removed every risk in the room. It does not. Some pieces include filler at the base — moss, foam, stones or a soil-like material — and every piece is made of parts that a determined chewer can work loose.
Five things are worth checking on any piece you bring home:
- Leaves and stems. Where a listing says the stems are wired, foliage can be bent, and bent foliage can also be pulled or bitten loose. Check the piece on arrival and again after a pet has been near it.
- Wire ends. A reshaped wired stem can expose a wire end at a cut or a joint. Check for exposed wire by eye after shaping, and do not keep a piece whose wire is broken, exposed or sharp where a pet can reach it.
- Small detachable parts. Berries, buds, individual sprays and separate flower heads are the parts most likely to come away from a bush or garland.
- Filler and base material. If a piece is finished with moss, foam, pebbles or loose material at the base, that material can be picked out.
- The container. A light pot on an open shelf or on the floor is easier to move than a heavy one; a heavier container in a fixed position reduces how easily it is displaced, but it does not make the piece a toy a pet may play with.
A swallowed piece can cause harm in ways that have nothing to do with plant toxins: leaves and stems can choke or block, wire and hard plastic can injure the mouth, throat or gut, and filler can be eaten in quantity. Product wording that describes a material as safe or non-toxic is not a guarantee about an animal that chews, so judge the object itself. Contact your veterinarian if a piece has been swallowed, or if a pet is retching, drooling persistently, vomiting or off its food. Keep the piece out of a pet's mouth, and if a part comes loose, remove it from the room rather than putting it back.
If your pet has already eaten a plant
Do not try to make your pet vomit — whether that is appropriate is a veterinary decision that depends on the species, the amount and how long ago it happened. Do not wait for symptoms to decide either: contact your veterinarian or a pet poison control service straight away, because early treatment gives a better outcome with the plants that matter most.
What helps at that point is identification and a phone call:
- Identify the plant by scientific name if you can. Photograph the label and the plant, and keep the packaging if you still have it.
- Note roughly how much was eaten and when.
- Contact your veterinarian, an emergency clinic, or a pet poison control service. The FDA's lily page lists the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 and the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661.
If you cannot identify the plant, say so when you call rather than guessing from a common name. The FDA advises bringing the plant or a photograph to the clinic, because the difference between a true lily and a plant that merely has "lily" in its name changes the treatment and the prognosis. A plant-identification service or a reliable database can help with the name; the judgement about the exposure belongs to the veterinarian.
This page cannot tell you whether a particular exposure is dangerous. Species, quantity, the animal's size, and the time since ingestion all change the answer.
Choosing greenery for a pet home
Decide what you are actually solving before you choose a plant. A pet that digs will find any open soil; a pet that chews will test anything with leaves; a pet that climbs will reach the highest surface it can. Match the choice to the animal's habits rather than to a general label.
- Check the species, then the size. Confirm the genus against the ASPCA entry and then measure the space. Available height, canopy spread and the container opening decide whether a piece fits; the artificial plant size guide sets out how to take those measurements.
- Prefer what you can reach and inspect. Whether a piece can be lifted out of reach depends on the piece and on you — a large floor plant generally cannot, a small tabletop plant often can. Check that you can actually get to it when you need to.
- Read the container note for the specific listing. Whether a container is included varies by product within the same collection, so check the current listing rather than assuming from the category or the photo.
- Skip the guarantees. If a product page calls a decorative piece "100% safe" or "pet-safe", that is the seller's wording, not a certification by a veterinary body. Judge the object by what is in the box.
If the shape you want belongs to a plant you would not keep in a pet home, an artificial version gives you that silhouette without the plant itself; if you would rather choose from a wider set of artificial pieces, see the artificial plant picks for home decor. For the counter-arguments on maintenance and cost, the five reasons article covers that ground; this page does not repeat either one.
If you are buying the artificial version
Product facts differ between listings, so check these four points on the page you are actually buying from. They are conditions, not recommendations for a specific piece:
- What is in the box. Some artificial plants ship in a container and some ship as a stem bundle that needs one. The Real-Touch Faux Monstera Deliciosa (currently unavailable) is listed as a 7-inch potted piece. The 10-Leaf Artificial Dieffenbachia is listed as a 14-inch unpotted stem base, so a container is a separate purchase and the container you choose is part of the final object a pet can reach.
- Stem construction. Where the listing says the stems are wired, they can be shaped — and the wire is then a component you are reshaping. Where it does not say so, do not assume it.
- Base finish. If the piece is finished with moss, foam or stones, treat that material as loose and keep it out of reach.
- No safety claim. No listing on this site is a veterinary certification for a pet that eats things. The ASPCA entry linked above answers the plant question; the object question is answered by what you can see in the box.
Styling illustration: a piece being shaped on a low surface. The frame does not show a safety test or a material certification.
Placement that reduces risk
Three positions do most of the work in a pet home, and none of them is a guarantee:
- A high shelf, with a caveat. A small potted piece on a wall shelf is out of the way of a dog and of casual contact. It is not proof against a cat that climbs, so check that the shelf itself is securely fixed and that the pot cannot easily be pushed off the edge.
- A stable floor corner. A tall piece out of the main walking path is less likely to be brushed past or tipped by a tail. Choose a position where the container sits flat and level, and keep the piece away from the edge of a table or shelf a pet leans on.
- Away from the animal's routes. A pot in the middle of a favourite path, or on the edge of a surface a pet jumps onto, is in the way of daily movement. Move the piece rather than relying on the pet to avoid it.
Styling illustration: the frame shows why a shelf is a partial measure, not a guarantee — the cat in the picture is looking directly at the pieces on it.
Common questions
Are artificial plants safe for cats and dogs?
An artificial plant does not carry the plant toxins of the species it copies, and the material itself needs no growing medium or light. It is not automatically soil-free, though: some pieces are finished with a moss, foam, pebble or soil-like filler at the base, and a potted piece may contain filler that you cannot see in the listing photographs. Check the piece as it arrives rather than assuming. It is also a decorative object rather than food or a chew toy, so the parts listed above — leaves, wired stems, small detachable pieces, filler and the container — need to stay out of a pet's mouth. Swallowed pieces can choke or block; check the piece for loose parts and remove anything that comes away.
Which houseplants are most dangerous to cats?
True lilies (Lilium species) and daylilies (Hemerocallis species) are the most serious, because the FDA links even a small exposure — including pollen or vase water — to fatal kidney failure in cats. Sago palm is also listed as seriously toxic to cats and dogs.
Can a non-toxic plant still make my pet sick?
Yes. The ASPCA's own wording is that any plant can cause mild stomach upset when ingested, so a non-toxic listing means serious poisoning is not expected — not that the plant is edible or that nothing will happen.
Is calathea the same as prayer plant?
No. The ASPCA entry covers Calathea spp.; the prayer plants sold under the Maranta name are a different genus in the same family, Marantaceae. Check the entry that matches the genus you actually have.
Is a money tree non-toxic to pets?
It is not on the list above, because no ASPCA species entry for Pachira aquatica was located while preparing this page. The list only includes plants where the entry for the exact scientific name could be found and linked. Identify the plant by its scientific name, and ask your veterinarian if you need an answer for your own animal.
What should I do if my pet eats a plant?
Do not try to induce vomiting — that decision belongs to a veterinarian. Identify the plant by scientific name if you can, note when it happened and how much was eaten, and call your veterinarian or a pet poison control service for advice on that species and that animal.
Do the artificial pieces come with a pot?
It varies by listing, including within the same collection, so check the container note on the product you are buying. Where a container is not included, the container you choose becomes part of the finished piece and part of what a pet can reach.
Sources, with the dates checked on 12 October 2026: ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant entries for Areca Palm, Boston Fern, Cast Iron Plant, Parlor Palm, Phalaenopsis Orchid, Calathea, American Rubber Plant, Golden Pothos, Dieffenbachia and Sago Palm; ASPCA, "Do You Know Which Flowers and Plants are Toxic to Pets? Our Experts Explain!" (30 April 2026); ASPCA, "Liven Up Your Space With These Pet-Friendly Plants!" (22 July 2020); ASPCA, "Are Succulents Safe to Have Around Pets?"; FDA, "Lovely Lilies and Curious Cats: A Dangerous Combination" (content current as of 16 September 2021). This page is not veterinary advice.