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The majority of houseplants out there are toxic to cats, especially if they are being chewed on. Even begonia, which says they are safe for cats. If your cats get ahold of the roots, they are toxic for your cats. So it’s kind of difficult to tell and to research every single plant out there that you’re interested in. So today we have a reliable list of six plants that are for sure safe for your cats. Not only are they going to be safe for your cats, but they are going to be fun distractions for your cats from other plants. So that way you can have your other plants that may not be very cat friendly up higher, out of the way. These can be fun plants that both you and your fur baby can enjoy.
Calathea
They have large, vibrant, beautiful, foliage. Calathea Orbifolia in particular gets very big orb-shaped leaves. They have a little bit of striping in them. It’s just a tiny bit of green-on-green variegation and little ruffles. But because they are so huge, they are like little umbrellas that your cat can hide under and play at and bad at. Safe to chew on but also makes for a very fun experience.
Because they are such prolific growers and they grow so large for you, even if your cat chews on the bottom leaves, the big leaves up top are going to look fabulous for you. So you won’t even be able to tell your cat’s been messing with the plant unless you dig into it.
Calathea also loves to be watered. So if you are one of those plant parents that like to water your plants on a regular and your cat likes to follow you and play with your plants while you’re watering, this is totally the plant for you both.
Spider Plant
Cats love this plant because it’s related to catnip with a muted but similar effect. They also love it because its leaves are ribbon-shaped and hang down. These plants look like a very fun dangly cat toy, usually variegated to draw attention. When the little tips of the leaves dry out they can also make a fun crinkle sound, which cats love.
Spider plants are also really fun and easy to care for because you just let them dry out. Water them every couple of weeks to a month, depending. Your cat will just chew on them and have fun.
They also propagate quickly, so you can either divide them or you can take their baby plants, and plantlets and plant them up and root them in water, sphagnum, etc. We have a whole propagation guide for you here. They are generally invasive wherever they’re outside, so they grow very quickly inside and you don’t have to worry about having to buy a whole bunch of them. They’re also fairly inexpensive if needing to be replaced. These are one of those reliable beginner plants that never disappoint either the fur babies or you.
Maranta
There are several varieties. There’s the red vein, lemon-lime, and rabbit tracks Maranta just to name a few of the most popular. In particular, red vein Maranta is very fun because its leaves move up and down throughout the day. It is very eye-catching with the bright red and they create a little bit of movement and a little bit of noise throughout the day.
Cats like to lay in the sun and watch the prayer plant’s leaves move up and down. They’ll also move up and down depending on if they need water or not, which is very fun. So it’s a very easy plant to take care of for you. When it stops moving, you notice it hasn’t moved in a while, the leaves stay down. Then you know it’s going to need some water. It’s also a very visual plant for you, so you can tell when it needs water or not. And if you are a very busy plant parent, then this plant is going to be perfect for you while also providing entertainment and enjoyment for you and your cat.
Ferns
Ferns have a very bad reputation for being very difficult to care for. They are not. Get them in a self-watering pot, they will be absolutely fine for you. No problems. Give them more light than you think they need. Doesn’t matter what fern you’re taking care of. For the most part, they’re all pretty easy to care for. If they need higher humidity, then you can put them in a terrarium. That way your cat can enjoy watching them from afar.
If they have these long, elongated fronds(like a Boston fern), they’re going to be very fun for your cat because they will arch so much, they will create kind of a shady area underneath. Your cat can play under there with the dying fronds. With the older fronds, your cat can chew on little pieces of them. Your cat can bat them around like a little ribbon toy. They’re also really fun for you because the top leaves will look great as they produce more and more foliage. They’re a very classic, timeless-looking plant and they can go pretty much anywhere in your home. So it’s a win-win for you and your cat.
Peperomia
This genus comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. For the most part, they are very easy to care for plants. They prefer higher humidity and they like to dry out. They don’t like to sit in a puddle too long or they’ll rot. So these can be very easy care for plants. You don’t have to give them very much water very often or you can keep them in terracotta.
Cats really like these plants because they add a little bit of a pop of color. Many species of Peperomia come in reds, pinks, greens, and white, with mixes of textures and colors. There are even fuzzy Peperomia that feels like a cat’s ear because they are so soft.
Peperomia is also really fun because you can tuck them on bookshelves, and you can tuck them on tables. They’re very hardy plants, especially if you get something like Peperomia Obtusifolia. They’re very easy to care for plants and because they don’t require a lot of maintenance, you get to enjoy them as well.
A Peperomia plant adds a little bit of pop of color and texture in places you may not have been able to fit another plant. Because they stay smaller they also work well if you want to put them up somewhere and your cat likes to lay next to them.
We all know that cats love to shove things off of shelves, and Peperomia is not that large. But you can use command strips on the bottom of your pots to keep your pots from being moved off of shelves and off of tables. Then it’ll be removable and very easy for you later if you want to move your plant or if you need to report. Plus your cat won’t be able to destroy the pot and the plant.
Pilea
This plant likes a lot of light. Pilea also likes higher humidity. They’re 100% nontoxic to cats and the Pilea Pepermoidies, in particular, has little, round, UFO-shaped leaves at the end of these long stems, which make for very fun cat toys. It’s almost like a pom at the end of a stick for a cat. They just love to bat them around. The leaves will also move in the sunlight too, which is fascinating as they try to catch as much light as possible. Cats enjoy this movement. Even the older cats that just want to relax and watch the plants and not play so much, will still enjoy this plant. They’re great for window sills so the plant and your cat can sunbathe together, which would be really fun and super cute for you to see as well.
Overall, plants and cats can live in harmony in a home. You don’t have to have toxic plants in your home to get those jungle vibes going on. You can still have your beautiful kitty able to be in your home and be safe while having plants you both would enjoy.
