18 cat-friendly house plants
Find and buy house plants that are safe for cats, with our easy guide
This article has been checked for horticultural accuracy by Oliver Parsons.
House plants fill your home with greenery and flowers, adding impact to every room. There's a huge variety to choose from, whether you're looking for bright flowers, height or dramatic foliage. However, if you have a cat, choosing house plants can be a worry, as cats are prone to eating greenery and many house plants are toxic to pets. So, to help you make safer choices, we've created a guide to some of the best cat-friendly house plants to buy.
The charity Cats Protection has a list of indoor plants that are safe for cats, so if there's a plant you would like that's not on our list, their website is a good place to check. You'll also find filters on many house plant websites, such as Patch Plants and Beards & Daisies, which let you search through all their pet friendly plants for sale.
If you're looking for large cat-friendly house plants, why not try a kentia palm or parlour palm? Or perhaps a hanging plant like string of hearts to improve the look of a shelf? There are also lots of easy-to-grow house plants that are also cat friendly, from spider plant to Chinese money plant and even pineapple plant. Whatever type of house plant you're drawn to, we've plenty of options to suit you and your cat.
These plants are generally safe for your cat – but if you do see your pet nibbling, it's a good idea to keep the plant out of reach, as even 'cat-safe' plants can cause a stomach upset if ingested in too great a quantity.
Pineapple plant (Ananas comosus)
This one isn't toxic to cats, but don't eat the pineapple as it will be far too bitter when grown as a house plant. The fruit, which is held on a stem in the centre of the plant, is surrounded by attractive, sword-like leaves, making it a striking house plant to have in your home. It does best in a warm, bright spot as it's native to tropical South America.
H x S: 90cm x 90cm
Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior)
The cast iron plant is an easy-care plant that’s perfect for beginners. Keep it out of direct sun and it won't need much watering. This attractive plant, with big oval leaves, can cope with some shade and will brighten a dull spot indoors.
H x S: 60cm x 60cm
Boston fern
Boston fern is in Nasa's list of top 10 air-purifying plants, so this is a great house plant to add to your home. It’s native to tropical areas of South America, so needs a warm spot out of direct sun. Keep the compost moist and mist regularly to keep humidity levels high.
H x S: 90cm x 90cm
- Buy Boston fern from Van Meuwen
- Buy Boston fern from Patch Plants
- Buy Boston fern 'Green Lady' from Crocus
Calathea orbifolia
Calathea orbifolia is known as the prayer plant, because its leaves fold up at night, like someone putting their hands together in prayer. It has beautiful round leaves with silvery green stripes. Place it somewhere with bright, indirect light and keep the soil moist. Mist regularly.
H x S: 75cm x 40cm
String of hearts
Place string of hearts on a shelf or in a hanging basket where its long stems can trail over the side. Named for its heart shaped leaves, it’s a great choice for a bright spot out of direct sun. Bear in mind, though, that those trailing stems will be irresistible to your cat, who may climb up to get at them.
H x S: 1m x 10cm
Chinese money plant
Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) is a low-maintenance house plant that will do well in a place that gets bright light. It’s also known as pancake plant due to its round leaves, which can reach 12cm across. Water when the soil dries out.
H x S: 30cm x 30cm
Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera)
This attractive cactus is known as the Christmas cactus because it flowers over the festive season. It's generally safe for cats, but can cause stomach upsets, so move it out of the way if you spot any nibbling. In its native habitat it grows in shady, humid forests, so it will thrive if its compost is kept moist, but not soggy. The flowers are usually red, white or pink, but can also be purple or yellow. Stand on a saucer of wet gravel to increase humidity around your plant.
Flowers: November to January
H x S: 45cm x 45cm
Spider plant
Spider plants are popular for being low-maintenance and they're perfect for beginners. If you’re looking for something a bit different, why not try the variety 'Bonnie', which has been bred for its extra curly leaves? It will cope with a bit of neglect and it is easy to make new plants from. It's generally safe, but move this plant out of the way if your cat tries to nibble it, as stomach upsets may ensue.
H x S: 40cm x 60cm
Kentia palm
Kentia palm was a popular plant in Victorian times and is still a classic today, perfect for adding height to the corner of a room. It needs bright, indirect light and will thrive as long as it isn’t placed in direct sunlight or in a draughty spot. Keep the compost moist but don’t overwater, and mist every so often.
H x S: 3m x 1m
Maidenhair fern
Perfect for a steamy bathroom, the maidenhair fern has graceful leaves on delicate arching stems. If you don’t have a humid spot, mist it regularly. Keep its compost moist and place in a bright spot out of direct sunlight.
H x S: 50cm x 40cm
Pachira aquatica
Money tree stores water in its trunk so be wary of overwatering. The plant is said to bring good fortune, hence the name, and it’s not too tricky to look after – water once the top couple of inches of compost has dried out and mist every few days. It needs a bright spot out of direct sun.
H x S: 1.2m x 50cm
Musa acuminata ‘Dwarf Cavendish'
Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish' has large leaves, which add an exotic feel to indoor displays. This compact variety shouldn’t reach any higher than 2-3m. Give this plant plenty of light and keep the compost moist.
H x S: 3m x 1.2m
Moth orchids
Enjoy the exotic blooms of moth orchids, which can bloom at any time of year. To keep your orchids content and healthy, put them in a humid room such as a bathroom or kitchen. Moth orchids are popular because they are easy to grow. Choose a room where the temperature won't drop below 15ºC.
Flowers: at any time of year
H x S: 70cm x 40cm
Calathea sanderiana
Calathea sanderiana, also known as the pin-stripe plant, for its large, striking leaves, which have a purple underside. This plant likes a warm room, in a spot that gets bright, indirect light. Mist every few days and water regularly, around once a week or once the top two inches of compost has dried out.
H x S: 60cm x 60cm
Watermelon peporomia (Peperomia argyreia)
This attractive foliage plant is ideal for brightening up a table or shelf in a warm room. Make sure it has bright, indirect light rather than strong sunlight and mist every few days, especially during the summer. It is named for its leaf markings, which resemble the pattern of a watermelon's rind.
H x S: 30cm x 30cm
Zebra plant (Haworthia fasciata)
This succulent looks a bit like Aloe vera, which is toxic to cats, but this attractive striped plant is not toxic and is safe for pets. It's often sold as 'Alba'. Make sure that you are buying this particular plant and not something that looks similar. Don't overwater, and keep in a bright spot out of direct sunlight.
H x S: 20cm x 20cm
Parlour palm
If you want an easy cat-friendly house plant, try the parlour palm. It will add height and impact to any room with its exotic leaves. The parlour palm can tolerate some neglect, but to keep your plant looking at its best water around once a week in the summer, once the top inch of compost is dry.
H x S: 1m x 80cm
Golden polypody
This tender fern makes a good house plant with its evergreen, blue-green leaves that look good year round. A humid, steamy bathroom is the ideal place for golden polypody, but if that's not possible, mist regularly and keep the compost moist. Avoid overwatering, though.
H x S: 90cm x 40cm
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