Non-Toxic Indoor Plants for Cats & Dogs (ASPCA List)

TL;DR: Spider plant, areca palm, Boston fern, calathea, peperomia, parlor palm, African violet, money tree, cast iron plant, ponytail palm, haworthia, and prayer plant are all verified non-toxic to cats and dogs on the ASPCA's plant list. Pothos, monstera, philodendron, snake plant, sago palm, peace lily, and true lilies are not — and true lilies are the one to take most seriously, since even a small amount is dangerous specifically to cats. Use our Pet-Safe Houseplant Checker to verify any specific plant by name.

“Pet-safe” gets used loosely online, so it's worth being precise: this list covers plants the ASPCA's own toxic and non-toxic plant database does not list as toxic to cats or dogs. That's a meaningfully higher bar than “I read somewhere it's fine,” and it's the same source veterinarians point to.

The Verified Safe List

Plant	Why People Like It
Spider Plant	Nearly indestructible, tolerates low light, easy to propagate from its own babies
Areca Palm	Full, feathery look, good floor-standing size for a living room
Boston Fern	Classic hanging-basket texture, likes humidity (bathrooms do well)
Calathea	Dramatic patterned leaves, good for shadier spots
Peperomia	Compact, forgiving, dozens of leaf-shape varieties
Parlor Palm	Handles low light better than most palms, slow and tidy growth
African Violet	Compact flowering option, blooms indoors year-round
*Money Tree (Pachira aquatica)*	Braided-trunk look, tolerant of inconsistent watering
Cast Iron Plant	About as close to unkillable as houseplants get
Ponytail Palm	Succulent-like water storage in its base, very drought tolerant
Haworthia	Small, slow-growing succulent, good for a bright windowsill
*Prayer Plant (Maranta)*	Leaves fold up at night, striking patterned foliage

Flat-lay of six ASPCA-verified pet-safe houseplants labeled with name tags

Common Houseplants That Are NOT Pet-Safe

This is where a lot of roundups get vague, so here's the specific, ASPCA-confirmed list, along with what actually happens if a pet chews on one:

•Pothos, Monstera, Philodendron, and Dieffenbachia all contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. Chewing releases the crystals into the mouth, causing oral irritation, intense burning of the lips and tongue, drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. It's unpleasant and sometimes needs a vet visit for supportive care, but it's rarely life-threatening on its own. See our Pothos Care Guide and our Monstera Pet-Safety Guide for the full detail on each.
•Snake Plant contains saponins, which cause vomiting, diarrhea, and drooling if ingested — a different mechanism than the oxalate plants above, milder in most cases, but still worth keeping away from pets.
•Sago Palm is genuinely dangerous, not just irritating: every part of the plant is toxic, especially the seeds, and ingestion can cause liver failure in dogs. This one is a real emergency if a pet eats any part of it.
•True Lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species — Easter lilies, Asian lilies, daylilies) are the most dangerous plant on this entire list, and specifically to cats. Even a small amount of pollen, a lick of the leaf, or water from a vase can cause acute kidney failure in cats, and it's frequently fatal without immediate veterinary treatment. Peace lily, despite the name, is not a true lily — it's an oxalate-type plant like pothos, unpleasant but far less dangerous. Don't let the name similarity give a false sense of safety either way; if you're not certain which “lily” you're looking at, treat it as the dangerous kind.

If a Pet Eats a Toxic Plant: Symptoms to Watch For

Signs vary by plant and by how much was eaten, but watch for: drooling or pawing at the mouth, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy or unusual hiding, loss of appetite, and in serious cases (true lilies, sago palm) reduced urination or no urination at all, which can signal kidney or liver involvement. If you know or suspect your pet ate a toxic plant, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center right away rather than waiting to see if symptoms appear — for true lily and sago palm exposure especially, early treatment makes a real difference.

Check Any Specific Plant Before You Buy

This list covers the most common plants people ask about, but it's not exhaustive, and plant names get used loosely by different sellers. Before bringing home something not on this list, run it through our Pet-Safe Houseplant Checker, which cross-references the ASPCA database directly rather than relying on a plant's common name alone — the same plant is sometimes sold under three or four different names, and that's exactly where mistakes happen.

A dog and cat resting near a shelf of pet-safe houseplants

Frequently Asked Questions

What indoor plants are completely safe for cats and dogs?

Spider plant, areca palm, Boston fern, calathea, peperomia, parlor palm, African violet, money tree, cast iron plant, ponytail palm, haworthia, and prayer plant are all confirmed non-toxic to cats and dogs on the ASPCA's plant list.

Is pothos or monstera actually dangerous to cats?

They're toxic but not typically life-threatening. Both contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which cause oral irritation, drooling, and vomiting if chewed.

What's the most dangerous common houseplant for cats specifically?

True lilies (Easter lily, Asian lily, daylily). Even minimal exposure — pollen, a nibbled leaf, or vase water — can cause acute kidney failure in cats.

Sources & Citations

•ASPCA Animal Poison Control: Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List (cats); toxicity listings for Golden Pothos, Cutleaf Philodendron, Sago Palm, and Lily species.