Don’t scrap an indoor nature collection for the sake of Whiskers. Hear us out: You can have both healthy felines and green decor, as long as you make sure your plant babies won’t poison your cat babies. This means double-checking the scientific names with the ASPCA’s extensive list of plants that are non-toxic to felines and making sure you purchase the correct items.
In addition, keep in mind that much like humans, different cats react to plants differently, so do your best to make sure your new plant is out of the cat’s reach. “It is important to be aware that any plant can cause cats to experience vomiting and diarrhea,” says Katja Lang, DVM, Medical Director at Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group. “It’s best to place the plant in an area that is not accessible to the cat. Kittens and young cats especially love to chew on things they aren't supposed to.” And remember, just because your plant is safe for your dog doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s harmless for felines.
When shopping for a new houseplant, you can go two routes: buy something that is non-toxic or buy something that is non-toxic and meant to be consumed by your feline friend, says Dr. Veronica Higgs, a veterinarian at Chewy. This includes catnip and cat grass. Other safe bets are rosemary, bamboo and spider plant. Meanwhile. Dr. Higgs lists lilies, sago palm, daffodil, tulips and dieffenbachia as five popular houseplants that are toxic to cats.
According to Dr. Higgs a couple common misconceptions cat owners have when plant shopping are that the plants are only harmful if ingested and that their pet won’t be interested in it.