Pet Safe Plant Checker: Is Your Houseplant Toxic to Cats or Dogs?
Search any common houseplant below to find out instantly whether it's safe for cats and dogs, or whether it belongs on the toxic plants for pets list. Every entry includes symptoms to watch for and what to do if your pet eats it.
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Type a plant name or tap a filter to browse.
How to use this pet plant safety checker
Type the common name of your houseplant into the search box above — things like pothos, snake plant, monstera, or peace lily all work. Tap any result to see a full breakdown: whether it's toxic to cats, toxic to dogs, what symptoms to expect if your pet chews on it, and what to do next. Use the Pet-safe only filter if you're choosing new plants for a home with curious cats or dogs.
This tool covers the houseplants most commonly kept in small apartments and covered on PlantFixx. It is not a complete database of every plant species — when in doubt about a plant not listed here, check the ASPCA's full toxic and non-toxic plant list.
Why some common indoor plants are dangerous for pets
Most houseplants that are toxic to cats and dogs fall into a few categories. Many popular aroids — pothos, philodendron, monstera, peace lily, and dieffenbachia — contain microscopic calcium oxalate crystals in their leaves and stems. When a cat or dog bites into the leaf, these crystals cause immediate, painful irritation to the mouth and throat, along with drooling and vomiting. It's unpleasant but rarely fatal.
A smaller group of plants is genuinely dangerous. True lilies (Easter, Tiger, and Asian lilies) are severely toxic to cats specifically — even pollen brushed off a cat's fur while grooming can cause fatal kidney failure. Sago palm is similarly dangerous to both cats and dogs, affecting the liver. These are the two houseplants pet owners should be most careful about, and both are flagged clearly in the checker above.
⚠️ Common plants toxic to pets
- True lilies (Easter, Tiger, Asian)
- Sago palm
- Pothos
- Philodendron
- Monstera
- Peace lily
- Dieffenbachia
- English ivy
- Dracaena / Corn plant
✅ Pet-safe houseplants
- Spider plant
- Boston fern
- Calathea
- Parlor palm
- Areca palm
- Peperomia
- Haworthia
- African violet
- Prayer plant
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my cat eats a pothos leaf?
Pothos contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause immediate mouth and throat irritation. Expect drooling, pawing at the mouth, and possibly vomiting. It's painful but rarely life-threatening — contact your vet if symptoms don't ease within a few hours.
Are snake plants toxic to cats?
Snake plants are mildly toxic. They contain saponins that can cause drooling, vomiting, or diarrhea if chewed, but severe reactions are uncommon.
What houseplants are 100% safe for cats and dogs?
Spider plant, Boston fern, Calathea, parlor palm, areca palm, peperomia, haworthia, African violet, and prayer plant are all non-toxic according to ASPCA data. See the full pet-safe list above.
Is a peace lily actually a lily?
No — peace lilies aren't true lilies and don't cause the severe kidney failure seen with true lilies in cats. They still cause painful mouth irritation from calcium oxalate, so they're best kept away from pets, but they are far less dangerous than Easter or Tiger lilies.
What should I do if my pet eats a toxic plant?
Remove any remaining plant material from your pet's mouth if it's safe to do so, and contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center right away. Don't wait for symptoms to appear, especially with true lilies or sago palm.