Indoor plants are a great way to incorporate nature into your home. Before buying houseplants, consider them, not only for the conditions in which they grow, but also whether they will be safe for your four-legged friends. If you live with pets, dogs, cats or other animals and you also like plants, you may have a problem because some of the most famous plants are toxic to your pets. Luckily, there are pet-friendly plants too.
We want to give you some ideas about plants that you can have and that will not harm your pet's health. Of course, remember to protect them from them since many animals have a "weakness" to plants and end up biting or playing with them.
Why do cats and dogs eat houseplants? Some believe they seek to relieve any stomachache or aid the digestion process of ingested hairballs. Some others believe that they are trying to replace some nutritional deficiency. Of course, the much simpler possibility of them being bitten while playing also applies. In any case, swallowing them can cause your furry friends to vomit, have a seizure, shake or worse.
Placing the plants where they cannot be directly reached by your pets is the first and most important step. If you have a dog, you are ok at this stage. However, if you have a cat, things change somewhat because they can literally reach even the most inaccessible part of the house.
For this reason – but also just in case, it is preferable that the plants you choose are pet-friendly. The following plants are therefore recognized by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) as safe and non-toxic for cats and dogs.
Keep your four-legged friends safe by choosing houseplants that can't harm them!
Pet owners who love indoor plants often express concern about which ones are safe for their four-legged friends. This is completely natural, as there are not a few plants that are toxic to our little animals.
It is recommended as much as possible to place your plants in places that are not easily accessible by pets, but in case this is difficult, the following options will free you from worrying about the health of our four-legged friends.
After choosing a safe and non-toxic houseplant, be sure to accompany it with a sturdy pot that won't tip over easily. You could also use a stand to keep the plant away from your four-legged friends or consider simply hanging your plants!
Our pets can coexist with our plants inside the house or on the terrace when we know and choose the plants that are safe for our dog or cat. Various plants can become dangerous for our pets in various ways either with the thorns they may have or with toxic substances they may contain in their leaves.
Plants with thorns that can hurt the cat or dog.
Plants with thorns such as cacti, but also types of succulents such as aloes and agaves or palm trees as well as other plants such as yucca can injure our pets. That is why when we choose them, we should place them inside the house or on the terrace in places that are not easily accessible by our pets or high on shelves.
Non-toxic plants suitable for areas with pets
One of the biggest responsibilities pet owners’ faces is keeping their little four-legged friends safe. When it comes to indoor plants, there are some that are dangerous to our loved ones, especially cats and dogs.
If you are a lover of plants and pets, you can ensure their healthy and safe coexistence. Try to decorate your space with one of the following plants. Here is a list of indoor plants where they are toxic to our four-legged friends.
Alyssum, Aspidistra, Basilica, Gypsophila, Guzmania, Echeveria, Calathea, Camelia, Beaucarnea, Orchids, Pilea, Peperomia, Chamaedorea elegans.
Plants toxic to our pets
Do you love plants in your space? Then you must pay attention to which plants to avoid because they may turn out to be toxic to your dogs or cats. There are several indoor plants that contain toxic chemicals in the leaves or stems that, if consumed by pets, can cause significant problems for them.
So, pay special attention to these plants:
Pothos, Ivy, Zamia, Dracaena, Philodendron, Dieffenbachia, Spathiphyllum, Aglaonema, Anthurium, Alocasia
Cats and Lily
As a cat owner, making sure the plants and flowers in your home are cat-friendly can give you peace of mind. While some plants are non-toxic and harmless, others can cause symptoms such as stomach upset, diarrhea, vomiting and even kidney failure if a cat ingests a small amount.
Plants that are members of the lily family are known to be highly toxic and can be fatal to cats if not treated immediately.
Since it's impossible to watch your cats all day and night, it's important to ensure that every plant, flower, and even bouquet of fresh flowers in your home is cat-friendly.
There are many things that improve our lives, including our pets and plants. To create a happy coexistence, it is important to make sure that the plants are safe for your four-legged friends. Although it is common for dogs and cats to chew or ingest plants, it is not always obvious.
Pet-safe indoor plants are both beautiful and non-toxic to our beloved four-legged friends. In addition, they will certainly renew the room you choose to place them in.
You may not know it, but not all indoor plants are equally safe for pets, as many of them are toxic and can affect the health of your dog or cat.
Nevertheless, there are those plants that you can add to the interior of your home, and they are completely safe for our little friends.
Choosing the right plants that are not toxic to your pets will help keep them out of trouble and give you peace of mind!