Pet safe houseplants for dogs and cats: which to choose and how to place them

Before any list, it helps to be clear about what a safe plant is. A non toxic plant is one that contains no substances able to cause poisoning if the animal nibbles it. It is not a food, though: eating leaves in quantity can still cause vomiting, drooling or intestinal upset through irritation or bulk, and the fibres of some plants do not digest. The goal, then, is not to invite the animal to graze, but to remove the serious risk of poisoning.

A second point often overlooked is that the risk is not only in the plant. The soil may hold slow release fertiliser, saucers collect stagnant water, and many plant pesticides are toxic. Even with a non toxic plant, keeping the animal away from soil, fertilisers and care products remains a sound rule.

The list below gathers some of the most common houseplants generally classed as non toxic to dogs and cats by the main veterinary toxicology databases. It remains a guide: common names are ambiguous and different plants can share one, so always check the botanical name before buying.

Many much loved plants, by contrast, are off limits when a cat is around: pothos, philodendron, monstera, dieffenbachia, peace lily and aroids in general contain oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and throat. True lilies and their relatives, especially Lilium and Hemerocallis, are extremely dangerous to cats even in small amounts and must be kept entirely out of reach. When in doubt, the list of plants to avoid deserves a read of its own.

Even a safe plant is handled better with a little strategy, both to protect the plant from the animal and to avoid the indirect risks of soil and products. These steps apply to any home with animals.

1. 1

   Check the botanical name before buying

   Common names mislead. Look for the scientific name on the label or ask for it, and check it against a veterinary toxicology database before bringing the plant home.

2. 2

   Use height and hanging pots

   High shelves, ceiling planters and out of reach ledges keep leaves away from the cat. For the dog, stable raised surfaces are often enough.

3. 3

   Cover the soil

   A layer of stones, large bark or a mesh over the soil discourages digging and prevents the animal ingesting earth and fertiliser. Avoid saucers with standing water.

4. 4

   Offer the cat something to nibble

   A pot of dedicated cat grass satisfies the urge to chew leaves and reduces interest in other plants. Keep it accessible and renew it when it dries out.

5. 5

   Isolate treatments and fertilisers

   Fertilisers, leaf shine products and plant pesticides are toxic: use them when the animal is away, let them dry and store them closed and out of reach.

6. 6

   Watch the behaviour in the first days

   Once a new plant arrives, see whether the animal ignores it or targets it. A very interested cat should be indulged by moving the plant up high or giving it up.

Even with every precaution, you may find a nibbled leaf. The right response depends on what was eaten and how the animal is, and calm beats haste. Here is how to handle it.

• Identify the plant: if you know the botanical name and it is non toxic, a small taste rarely causes serious trouble, but stay alert for a few hours.
• Watch for signs: heavy drooling, repeated vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, trouble swallowing or breathing must never be ignored, whatever the plant.
• Do not induce vomiting on your own initiative: some substances do more harm coming back up, and the wrong manoeuvre worsens the picture.
• If the plant is unknown or among the dangerous ones, or if signs appear, contact the vet or a poison centre at once, keeping the plant or a photo to hand.
• Gently remove any remains from the mouth if the animal allows it, and move the plant out of reach to stop it continuing.