It’s always a good idea to fill your house with lovely live greenery and florals all over the place but the thought of having an inquisitive playful cat always haunts your mind and fills you with concerns. Your furry friend has a habit of sticking its head in everybody’s business, making it important to buy plants that are completely safe for cats to eat. Luckily, there are tons of non-toxic and cat-friendly plants out there, which means you won’t have to worry if they decide to make one of its leaves their mid-day snack instead of your chosen cats food.
Cats love to spend time in the great outdoors, chasing prey and climbing up trees. However, the outdoors can be dangerous for cats, especially those that spend most of their time inside. Luckily, indoor cats can experience the joys of outdoor life when there are plants throughout the house to enjoy. So, it is important to make sure that any you decide to bring into the home is safe for your kitty.
Here is a list of 10 Cat-Friendly Plants that are safe for cats and that your furry family member is sure to love:
1. African Violets
African violets (Saintpaulia) are one of the most popular flowering houseplants due to their ability to bloom in low light and their affinity for the same environmental conditions that people like moderate temperatures and average humidity. Choose a soil-free potting mix and use a balanced fertilizer for the best African violet health. The fuzzy leaves of this gracious plant don’t produce any harmful substances known to harm cats or dogs.
2. Cat-Friendly Plants: Spider Plant
These handsome plants have thin, long leaves that bend over as they grow, resembling spider legs. They do not require much attention or food to stay alive, and they will thrive in a humid and sunny environment. Sometimes, the leaves are completely green, while other times, the leaves have thin white lines running down their lengths.
3. Boston Ferns
Boston ferns are among the more popular houseplants, and while their shaggy fronds might tempt your furry friends into taking a bite, they are completely safe for cats and dogs. They like humidity and indirect light which makes them a great choice for a bathroom or even a guest room.
4. Christmas Cactus
While some holiday plants, notably amaryllis, are toxic to pets, Christmas cacti are nontoxic plants that won’t harm your best friends. Christmas cacti can, however, cause some intestinal discomfort if your pets eat it, but these houseplants aren’t poisonous.
Christmas cacti are very similar to Thanksgiving cacti, and both are pet-safe. They both are also small at less than 12 inches, but they can spread up to two feet. They need to be watered regularly but are low maintenance in the sense that they do best in indirect light.
5. Cat-Friendly Plants: Ponytail Palms
This pet-friendly houseplant has draping fronds that might attract your pets, but you won’t have to worry. Ponytail palms are pet-safe, and they are extremely low maintenance. In fact, you have to worry more about giving them too much water than not enough. They need dry soil.
What’s more, you only need to fertilize them two or three times each year. This makes them a great choice for people who decidedly don’t have a green thumb.
6. Bird’s Nest Fern
Another great houseplant that’s pet-safe is the bird’s nest fern. It’s low-maintenance in that it thrives in low light, but it does need humidity. That makes the bathroom a great location for this pet-friendly addition to the house.
Even better, these houseplants do best in loose, fast-draining soil, and you only have to fertilize them once a month in the spring and summer. You only water them when the soil on top feels dry. Their squiggly, green leaves may attract your furry friends, but they won’t harm them if they take a bite.
7. Cat-Friendly Plants: Parlor Palm
For those pet owners who like the idea of having a small tree inside their home, the parlor palm is just right. It’s pet-friendly and low-maintenance which makes it ideal for beginners. It also grows best in indirect light, but it can tolerate low light levels too.
You only water it when the top inch of the soil is dry, and if you treat your parlor palm with love, it can grow up to eight feet in height. That’s bound to attract your furry friends, but fear not, it’s safe for cats and dogs.
8. The Areca Palm
This pet-friendly palm is also called the butterfly palm. It will help make any area feel like you’re relaxing in the tropics. The areca palm is safe for dogs and cats and does best in bright light. You might find that the palm fronds attract your cat and stimulate his play instincts, but it’s completely pet-safe so no need to worry.
It’s also best to allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings, so the areca palm is low maintenance in that sense.
9. Peperomia Species
Peperomia species of houseplants have a diversity of colors and textures that makes them among the most popular houseplants. They look really great in hanging baskets and are low maintenance so they won’t mind if you forget to water them every now and again.
Peperomia species are also completely safe for cats and dogs, so you won’t have to worry if one of your best friends gets a mouthful.
10. Orchids
Some of the most beautiful and popular houseplants are orchids. They have gorgeous blooms in the short days of winter and they thrive in low light conditions. They are also able to do well in root-bound conditions which makes them a great low-maintenance choice for beginners. What’s more, they have beautiful colors and shapes, and they are completely pet-safe.
Last Words
With so many different cat-friendly plants to choose from, you should not have trouble outfitting your home with a variety that helps bring the outdoors inside. Everyone in your household, including your cat, will breathe better throughout the year when your house is full of foliage. Your new plants will help keep your kitty busy throughout the day too.
