Last year, I bought an areca palm tree, a plant that’s nontoxic to both cats and dogs. It was beautiful, a touch of greenery that added warmth and depth to our living room.
Then along came Harry, our beloved Maine Coon mix. He also liked the palm tree, sniffing it over carefully and nibbling on its lower leaves.
Eventually, he reached up with his large paw and pulled down a branch, putting a leaf in his mouth and moving it back and forth like he was flossing his teeth. Eww.
Within a week, Harry had broken off most of the palm tree’s branches (but his teeth were probably very clean). The plant eventually died.
I bought a second areca palm and put it in a different spot in the house. Harry didn’t bother this one—but our other cats did. They chewed on its leaves, ripping them off until it looked like a skeleton.
Since then, I’ve learned how to help our housecats safely coexist with houseplants. I hope these tips help your cats as well.
Rule 1: Never punish your cat.
Cats don’t understand discipline. If you yell at them or spray them with water, they won’t associate the punishment with the behavior. They’ll think you hate them instead. Obviously, this isn’t good for your cat. So much stress can make it sick.
Rule 2: Choose only nontoxic houseplants.
This is important. Some plants are toxic. They can make your cats ill or even kill them. The beautiful Easter lily, for example, is lethal. All parts of it—the leaves, stems, flowers, and pollen—can cause your cat’s kidneys to fail.
Other types of lilies are also deadly—and you might have them in your home without even realizing it. Grocery stores often include lilies in floral bouquets. Pull them out and throw them away.
To be safe, steer clear of any plant with “lily” in its name even if you read online that it’s mildly toxic or nontoxic.
Don’t keep toxic plants in your home even if they’re out of your cat’s reach. When a plant’s leaves turn brown and die, they fall onto the floor, where your cat or dog can eat them.
The ASPCA has comprehensive lists of plants that are toxic to cats and dogs. Note that some plants are toxic to cats and not dogs and vice versa.
Check out these lists before bringing a plant into your home: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list. If you click on the name of a plant on this list, you’ll get more information about it.
If you have a plant in your house and have no idea what kind it is, you can take a picture of it and ID it on sites like these: https://identify.plantnet.org/ and https://plant.id/
Common Nontoxic Plants:
- African violets: These are beautiful flowering plants. They’re touted as being easy to grow, but I struggle to keep them alive and blooming. I lose about half of those I buy, even though I take good care of them—I put them in windows and under fluorescent lights and use fertilizer created especially for African violets.
- Money trees: These plants don’t really produce money (duh), but they’re pretty and easy to grow. They also grow super fast. Some of mine have grown into trees. They need light and moist soil. Don’t overwater them or their leaves will turn yellow and fall off.
- Baby’s tears (also called Paddy’s wig): I don’t have personal experience with these plants, but from what I’ve read, they’re easy to grow in indirect sunlight and warm temperatures.
- Orchids: You’ve probably seen these in grocery stores, discount stores, and even drug stores. They like bright light and do well in a window. They only need a small amount of water—you can put an ice cube or two on top of their soil once a week. The downside? They only bloom about once a year, and, without its flowers, an orchid looks like a few green leaves with a stem sticking up the middle.
- Gloxinia: These nontoxic plants have beautiful flowers. I haven’t tried to grow one yet but plan to soon. I read that they’re easy to grow, even in indirect light.
- Marigolds: These are mainly outdoor flowers, but many websites say they’re easy to grow indoors. I killed a few trying to do this. Mine only thrive outdoors in the summer sun.
- Ponytail palms: These are pretty and easy to grow, but like palm trees, my cats like to pull off the leaves and eat them.
- Lady palms: These are also easy to grow and their leaves, which are called fronds, are too thick for a cat to eat. Mine get brown tips on their leaves, though, which I think is caused by low humidity.
- Spider plants: If this plant has access to bright sunlight, it’s easy to grow. If you have cats, spider plants need to go in a hanging planter or your cat will (literally) eat them for lunch.
- Zebra plants (calathea): These attractive plants need bright, indirect light. Don’t put them outside in the hot sun. Keep them by a window instead. They grow better in warm temperatures and prefer moist (but not soggy) soil.
Common Toxic Plants:
Not all toxic plants are deadly, but they can make your cat sick. If your cat eats one of these plants and seems sick, take it to a vet or emergency clinic ASAP. Keep in mind that this is a brief list of toxic plants. The ASPCA has a comprehensive list.
These plants are toxic to cats:
- Lillies
- Aloe vera
- Ivy
- Jade plant
- Philodendron
- Umbrella plant
- Cactus (any kind with spines)
- Snake plant
Rule 3: Stop the munching.
Cats like to chew on plants. To stop this, give them some cat grass or a catnip plant. If you place it near the plant, they’ll munch on it instead of your plant.
Cats find certain kinds of plants particularly appealing. I mentioned that our cats enjoyed chewing on an areca palm. Well, they enjoyed our spider plant even more. A nontoxic plant that’s like grass, they devoured it. I liked the spider plant, so I bought another. This time, I hung it up high. Problem solved. Cats can’t eat what they can’t reach.
Some manufacturers sell chemicals that you can spray on plants that your cats won’t like, but some of these, like citrus, are toxic.
Rule 4: Stop the smashing.
Our cats love to push potted plants off tables and watch them smash to bits when they hit the floor. They also enjoy sending knick-knacks sailing through the air.
I buy plant pots that are too heavy for them to push off shelves and tables. I read that museum putty also works. You stick it to the bottom of the pots to keep them in one place.
Rule 5: Prevent pooping in plant pots.
Our worst “plant situation” occurred in our dining room, where we keep a few large, nontoxic plants by the windows—a lady palm tree, a money tree, and two banana trees. I was about to water them one day when I noticed clumps of dirt on the floor.
I crinkled my nose. “What’s that smell?” I asked my husband. We tracked it down. Our cats were using the plant pots as litterboxes.
We managed to save these plants. We dragged them into the garage, filled new pots with fresh dirt, and transplanted them. This time, I put stones on top, the kind that are about two inches long and smooth. This worked.
I’ve heard that tin foil also works, but it’s not a good idea. It scares cats, which can make them anxious and cause health problems. It’s also harmful if they eat it.
I read that lining the rim of a planter with double-sided tape will keep cats out of it, although I haven’t tried it. Cats supposedly don’t like the texture of the tape and stay away.
A Last Word
The best way to keep your cats away from your plants is to give them better alternatives. Cat toys, cat grass, cat trees, and catnip are preferable to a boring old houseplant. Also keep in mind that what works for one cat might not work for another. Be patient, and good luck!
You can distract your cat from your plants with cat grass.