10 Houseplants to Avoid in Feline Friendly Homes

House plants are all the rage right now! Whether you are keeping up with the latest trends, or just wanting to beat the blues this winter, bringing a house plant into your life can improve concentration, productivity, reduce stress levels, boost your mood, and clean your air! However, cat owners beware! If your little monster is too curious about some types of plants, it can result in a trip to the emergency clinic. Here are ten popular house plants to avoid in feline-friendly homes!

1) Aloe Vera
As one of the hottest tabletop plants out there right now, you can find aloe plants for sale just about anywhere. Aloe is easy to care for, has medicinal properties for humans, and looks super cool. However, under its trendy exterior are harmful saponins and anthraquinones that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy in your feline friend.

2) Monstera Deliciosa
This plant might just be the most popular house plant at the moment. With their tropical vibes, giant leaves, and easy to care for nature, we get why you might want to bring one of these beauties home. Monstera Deliciosa sounds like a tasty cocktail - but if your cat tries a sample, they might come down with burning of the lips and mouth, excessive drooling, oral swelling, and vomiting due to the insoluble calcium oxalates that are highly toxic to cats.

3) The Ficus Family (Most Commonly Fiddle Leaf Fig and Indian Rubber)
Just about every #PlantMom has a Fiddle Leaf Fig they proudly feature on their ‘gram. Made popular by interior decorators, Fiddle Leaf Figs and Indian Rubber are very impressive plants. Sadly, those pesky insoluble calcium oxalates strike again in the Ficus family.

4) Sago Palm
Slowly growing and serving up major tropical oasis vibes, sago palms have been a popular house plant for decades. Did you know that sago palms are actually liars? They aren’t even palms at all! This house plant belongs to a plant family called cycadaceae because they contain a toxin called cycasin. If your cat (or dog, or kid...) were to ingest any part of this plant, they could have symptoms including vomiting, internal bleeding, liver damage, or even death.

5) Alocasia
Also known as an Elephant Ear, Alocasias come in many varieties and colors and are popularly grown both indoors and outdoors. One of the most attractive features of this plant is its ability to get HUGE and do so quickly. Like Fiddle Leaf Figs, Indian Rubber, and Monstera Deliciosa, they also contain insoluble calcium oxalates.

6) Philodendrons
Philodendrons come in so many varieties that you might not even know you have them. However, every plant in the philodendron family contains insoluble calcium oxalates.

7) Pothos
Super easy to care for, Pothos plants are a really popular indoor house plant for seasoned plant parents and newbies alike. Thriving on what can only be described as plant neglect, Pothos plants can make themselves at home in lots of settings. Sadly, those insoluble calcium oxalates are present in all Pothos.

8) Peace Lily
As you are probably aware, lilies are a huge no-grow for cat owners. However, if you check out the scientific genus of peace lily you might say, “HEY! Peace Lily isn’t even a true lily! This should be safe for my cat-friendly home!” While it is true that Peace Lily (much like that sneaky Sago Palm imposter) is not a true lily, those insoluble calcium oxalates strike again.

9) Jade Plant
A type of succulent, Jade Plants (also known as Money plants or Dollar plants) are characterized by dark green fleshy leaves and thick, wooden-like stems. They are often described as the bonsai trees of the succulent world, and they are ultra-popular. It isn’t fully understood why these plants are harmful to cats, but in cases where they have been ingested, vomiting, lethargy, depression, and incoordination have occurred.

10) Snake Plant
Super popular for their ability to thrive in low light conditions, filter air very well, and for having a very funny common name (Mother-In-Laws Tongue). Snake Plants are available at almost any plant store. However, they contain saponins which can cause lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea if ingested.

Bonus Bite: The Spider Plant
Officially listed as non-toxic, there are some things worth mentioning about the wiggly Spider Plant. Spider Plants contain a compound that is mildly hallucinogenic to felines (similar to catnip), and chances are, Spider Plants make your cat want to party—especially with the added bonus of those wiggly tendrils. While a few bites of a Spider Plant won’t send you rushing to your closest emergency vet, your cat could be very tempted to overindulge, so keep a close eye on them around your Spider Plant.

Always research any plant before bringing it home. There are plenty of other house plants out there that could spell disaster for your kitty. On the flip side, there are also plenty of plants out there that are cat-safe! Regardless of their toxicity, it is important to discourage your cat from viewing your house plants as a salad bar. If you believe that your cat has ingested a toxic plant, give us a call right away or head to your closest emergency vet. Go get your grow on!