How to Choose Plants When You Live With Pets

Photo by @_unitedphotography_

We frequently field questions from concerned pet owners about the safest plants available for your pets, and we hear you! We know many of you would like to have more greenery in your space, but aren’t willing to risk the health of your best friends.

The inconvenient truth is, majority of house plants have a degree of toxicity to cats and dogs. But before you go scrolling to the list of nontoxic houseplants, there’s a couple things to consider:

• The temperament of your pet: many pets will coexist with plants without one day trying to take a bite out of them. Many people who own many plants also own pets. Even our favorite plant celebrity Hilton Carter has two cats and a dog! However, some curious creatures will try biting into anything that even looks edible- so it helps to observe these traits in your animal, and maybe start with nontoxic plants as a test.

•  Most houseplants, while they have some degree of toxicity, are not lethal to your pet. For many of these plants, they’ll have to eat a large amount of the plant to experience any symptoms which can range from excessive salivation to tummy troubles, and the encounter will likely leave them unlikely to attempt eating the plant again. Some of these plants even drip a terrible tasting sap that will prohibit your animal from even swallowing the plant matter even if they do chance a bite!

Photo by Mariah Lower

Non-Toxic Plants to Cats and Dogs

This list is based on current and past inventory of our shop! If we’re out of stock of a plant, you can always request it through its link on our website, or email us at hello@rewilddc.com. A full list can be found on the ASPCA Website.

• Calathea

• Ponytail Palm

• Peperomia

• Burro’s Tail

• Misteltoe Cactus, Orchid Cactus, and Christmas Cactus

• Pilea

• Creeping Charlie

• Cryptanthus

• False Aralia

• Bromeliads

• Polka Dot Plant

• Ferns

• Haworthia

• Hoyas

• Fatsia Japonica

• Lipstick Plant

• Maranta and Prayer Plants

• Nerve Plant

• Spider Plant

• Most Succulents and certain Cactus

• Air Plants

• Most Palm trees with the exception of the Sago Palm (which is not a true palm but a cycad!)