Short answer: Calathea, Peperomia, Pilea, Hoya, the bird's nest fern and the polka dot plant are all listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA. Keep Monstera, Philodendron, Alocasia, pothos and peace lilies out of reach: they contain calcium oxalate crystals that hurt a pet's mouth.
By Nick Lombardo, minihouseplants.ch · Last updated 6 October 2026
How we decide a plant is pet-safe
We check every plant against the ASPCA's list of toxic and non-toxic plants, the largest public database on plant poisoning in pets. Only plants it lists as non-toxic get the "Pet safe" label in our shop. When we can't find reliable information, the plant is labelled "Unknown" and we treat it as toxic.
8 pet-safe baby plants
All eight are in our pet-safe collection and arrive in a 6 cm pot.
- Pilea peperomioides 'Mojito' (Chinese money plant): Round, coin-shaped leaves marbled in lime green. Give it a bright spot and water about once a week.
- Calathea 'Meili' (pinstripe plant): Fine cream stripes on dark green leaves that fold up in the evening. Copes with less light and likes its soil kept slightly moist.
- Hoya carnosa 'Tricolor' (wax plant): Thick leaves in green, cream and pink. It trails and needs little water, so it's happy on a high shelf, out of reach.
- Peperomia 'Hope' (radiator plant): Small, round, fleshy leaves on trailing stems. One of the most forgiving plants we sell.
- Peperomia prostrata (string of turtles): Tiny patterned leaves that look like turtle shells, on stems that spill over the pot. Nice on a shelf edge.
- Hypoestes 'Super Pink' (polka dot plant): Bright pink leaves with green speckles. It grows fast: pinch the tips to keep it bushy.
- Asplenium nidus 'Crispy Wave' (bird's nest fern): Glossy, wavy fronds from a central rosette. Fine in a darker room or a bathroom.
- Ctenanthe 'Golden Mosaic' (never never plant): Leaves splashed with yellow and green. Happy a little away from the window.
Can't choose? The pet-safe set is five pet-safe plants picked from what's in stock, 10% less than buying them one by one.
Plants to keep away from cats and dogs
Many of the most popular houseplants are mildly toxic. Most of them contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals: when a pet bites a leaf, the crystals irritate its mouth, causing drooling, pawing at the mouth and sometimes vomiting. It is rarely dangerous, but it hurts.
- Monstera and Philodendron
- Alocasia (elephant ear)
- Pothos and Scindapsus
- Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)
- Aglaonema and Dieffenbachia
- Syngonium and Anthurium
- String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
Real lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis, common in cut-flower bouquets) are a different matter: for cats, even a little pollen can cause kidney failure. Keep them out of a home with cats altogether.
If your pet has chewed a plant
Take the plant away, look in your pet's mouth and offer water. Call your vet if it keeps drooling or vomiting, seems weak, or if you don't know what the plant was. Give them the plant's Latin name: it's on the product page of every plant we sell.
Living with plants and a curious cat
- Non-toxic doesn't mean it's a snack. A cat that chews a lot of any plant can get an upset stomach, and the plant won't look good either.
- Put trailing plants up high, on a shelf or in a hanging planter, where dangling stems don't invite play.
- Many cats chew plants for the fibre. A pot of cat grass gives them something that's meant to be eaten.
- Fertiliser isn't a pet food either. Don't let pets drink from the saucer after you've fed your plants.
Browse all pet-safe baby plants.