January is resolution season, and one resolution we hear constantly at the counter is some version of “this is the year I finally get houseplants, but I have a cat who eats everything that isn’t nailed down.” Good news: you don’t have to choose between plants and a curious pet. You just have to choose the right plants, and skip a few common ones that look nearly identical to the safe options.
A quick note on what “pet-safe” actually means
Pet-safe generally means non-toxic if chewed or nibbled — it doesn’t mean your cat should treat it as a salad bar. Even a genuinely safe plant can cause mild stomach upset if a pet eats a large quantity of it, the same way overdoing raw greens might upset a person’s stomach. And every animal is different. If you know your pet is an enthusiastic, determined chewer, keep any plant somewhere out of easy reach regardless of its safety rating, and call your vet if you’re ever worried about something they’ve eaten.
Plants we’re happy to recommend for pet households
- Calathea Orbifolia — big, striped, dramatic leaves with zero toxicity concerns. A great statement plant for a home with cats.
- Zebra Haworthia — a small, tidy succulent that tolerates a curious nose or the occasional nibble without issue, and takes low-effort care besides.
- Boston Fern — lush and forgiving of pets, and it appreciates the same humidity many people already keep for other reasons.
- Maidenhair Fern and Bird’s Nest Fern — both non-toxic and both excellent in a humid bathroom or fern corner, away from more aggressive chewers if you have one.
- Mounted Staghorn Fern — mounted on a board and typically displayed up high, this doubles as pet-safe and naturally out of reach.
- Echeveria ‘Lola’ — a pet-safe succulent for a bright windowsill, ideal if your cat’s favorite napping spot happens to be exactly where you wanted to put a plant.
- Hoya ‘Krimson Queen’ — a trailing vine with lovely variegated foliage that’s safe to have within reach of curious pets.
Plants we love but don’t recommend around pets
We carry these because so many customers ask for them, but we always flag the risk at checkout: Monstera Deliciosa, Fiddle-Leaf Fig, Golden Pothos, Heartleaf Philodendron, Snake Plant ‘Laurentii’, and most of our Rare Finds section, including Monstera Albo and Philodendron Pink Princess. Nearly all of these contain calcium oxalate crystals, which cause mouth and throat irritation if chewed. Rarely fatal, but genuinely unpleasant for the animal and often for your carpet.
Our honest advice
If you have a determined chewer, don’t just rely on the toxicity label — think about placement too. A hanging Hoya is safer from a curious dog than the same plant sitting on a low side table. And if you’re ever unsure whether something in your home is one of the safe ones, bring a leaf in or send us a photo. We keep this list taped up by the register for exactly this reason, and we’d genuinely rather you ask twice than guess once.