Cat Friendly House and Garden Plants

Houseplants have always been a way of brightening up a room especially in the autumn and winter. However people who live with cats must be careful of the houseplants they choose. Houseplants must be cat friendly. There are quite a few houseplants that you can choose which are safe for your cat to nibble on. There are many types of cat-safe ferns that you can choose from to decorate your rooms. These types of ferns include the Boston fern, the Japanese holly or fishtail fern and the sword fern. Some people like larger growing plants such as indoor palms and in this case you can consider the parlor or lady palms. If you like to add color to your indoor decor then your cat will be safe with an African violet or a Christmas cactus. Hanging plants are also a great idea and those that are cat-safe include spider plants, Swedish ivy and wandering Jews. Can’t you just picture your darling cat attempting to bat at the hanging houseplants?

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If you live in a house and your cat also enjoys your garden then you must consider what you plant to keep things safe for your furry darling. After all in good weather your cat will enjoy wandering about the garden and might just enjoy stopping by some plants for a nibble or two. Some flowering plants which are safe both indoors and out include cosmos, snapdragons, dahlia, columbine, nasturtiums and hollyhock. Other blooming plants that are safe for wandering cats include forget-me-nots, sunflowers, zinnias, impatiens and dianthus. Cat owners with gardens can also consider evergreen plants which add a nice backdrop to their garden like coleus, chickens and hens, pampas grass and bamboo. All of these won’t harm your cat even if he or she takes a bit of a taste from the plant.

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Another great way to reward yourself and your cat is by growing herbs. Most herbs are safe for cats among them parsley, oregano, basil, cilantro, dill, sage, lavender, rosemary and tarragon. Safe garden vegetables include squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, carrots and beets. All kinds of fruit grown outdoors are mostly considered safe for cats just be aware that some fruit like cherries, apples and peaches have pits that contain cyanide which is harmful when ingested. Cat owners can create a cat enclosure that is full of plants which the cat can nibble on like lemongrass, wheat or cat grass and mint. A very welcome addition to any cat pleasing garden is catnip which can be grown inside and out.

Always remember that the use of fertilizers and insecticides may help your garden blossom and make your plants strong but both of these are a danger to pets. The kinds of plants that you should avoid are ferns like asparagus and plumosa as well as elephant ears, English ivy and Chinese evergreen. Always make sure you know about toxic and non-toxic plants.

For a full list of poisonous plants check out the icatcare website.

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8 thoughts on “Cat Friendly House and Garden Plants

  1. angela1313 says:

    I love gardening & plants. Some of the plants that clean the air in your house are not good for cats but I like that natural purification. I was lucky to find a Wardian case in a thrift shop that allows both my violets and my cats to stay safe. Wardian cases are like mini greenhouses and they are very decorative as well as useful. Very nice post, thank you.

  2. helentastic67 says:

    I think it’s already been decided I need to set my whole backyard on fire! (It is small and enclosed and paved in concrete, never fear) but all my indoor plants are out of Jamima’s reach.

  3. sendinthelibrarians says:

    Thank you for this – we have just adopted two kittens and half the houseplants have relocated upstairs. I found tons of sites telling me which plants are unsafe for cats, but that doesn’t help me choose new ones(!) so thank you for posting some safe alternatives 🙂

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