As a cat parent, be careful when selecting your indoor plants. Cats love to chew on the leaves of plants to aid their digestion. While some plants like lemongrass, wheatgrass & catnip are safe in small quantities, certain plants are toxic to cats and can cause renal failure, respiratory issues & skin conditions.
Here are some indoor plants that are safe for cats:
- Rattlesnake Plant: The colours, distinctly shaped leaves and easy watering schedule make the rattlesnake plant a great addition to a low-light living room.
- Spider Plant: Easy to grow indoors and incredibly resilient. Spider plants are also great air-purifiers.
- Boston Fern: The beautiful Boston fern is also on the lower end of the maintenance spectrum since it requires food only every two months.
- Bird’s Nest Fern: This squiggly green fern thrives on the low light and varying humidity conditions that characterise bathrooms. Your teeth-brushing routine just got prettier.
- Areca Palm: The palm fronds can trigger a cat's playful swatting and biting instincts. These require careful watering and can grow quite tall.
- Blue Echeveria: Not all succulents are safe for cats. A safe succulent option is Echeveria. Like all succulents, they thrive in direct morning sunlight but avoid the scorching afternoon sun
- Hibiscus: These flowering plants have colour options and are suitable for both indoors and out, especially if you want to attract butterflies for your balcony garden
There are several indoor plants toxic to cats. Avoid placing the following inside or around your house:
- Lily: Lilies are extremely toxic plants for cats and can cause acute kidney failure
- Dieffenbachia: Highly toxic to cats causing oral pain, intense burning, excessive drooling, and swelling causing difficulty in swallowing or breathing.
- Aloe Vera: Cats who consume aloe may vomit, become lethargic or have diarrhea.
- Philodendron & Monstera: Popular for its aesthetic looks, this is toxic to cats causing oral irritation, swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.