Which Holiday Plants Are Safe for My Cats and Dogs?

Potted plants are very popular as gifts or decorations around the holiday season, but if you or a loved one has pets, you may need to take extra care when selecting which plants to bring home. Many pets simply can’t avoid the lure of a new potted plant or arrangement in the house. If you have a particularly curious cat or dog who you fear may sample the plants you bring home for the holidays, it’s best to make sure that the plant in question is not known to have toxic effects.

Fortunately, there are a number of plants and decorations that aren’t poisonous. Some good choices are:

• Christmas cactus
• African violet
• Phalanopsis orchid
• Bromeliad (Neoregalia)
• Rose
• Boston fern
• Peperomia
• Prayer plant (Calathea)
• Spider plant
• Swedish ivy
• Polka dot plant (Hypoestes)

A non-toxic plant could still upset Spot

Be aware that even if a plant is considered non-toxic, it could still cause vomiting or gastrointestinal upset for dogs and cats, but it should not be life-threatening. It is always best practice to keep plants out of reach if possible.

If a plant you are interested in was not listed above, check out the list of toxic and non-toxic plants from the ASPCA. If you think your pet may have eaten a poisonous plant or if you have additional questions, get in touch with your veterinarian or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center hotline at 1-888-426-4435.