Best Indoor Plants for Animal Lovers

About Nicole Pajer

Nicole Pajer is a Los Angeles-based freelance published in The New York Times, Woman's Day, AARP, Parade, Wired, Glamour, People and more.

Plants add beauty to a room, can help filter toxins from the air and can be the perfect accessory to your home when planted in a decorative pot. But did you know that some plants can be toxic to pets? Pet owners should avoid having plants like lilies, aloe, jade plants and sago palms in their homes, for instance, as these can be harmful to pets who may be tempted to gnaw at them. There are plenty of plants, however, that you can safely have in your home if you own dogs or cats. Here are 10 pet-friendly indoor plants that most pets can happily coexist with.

Bromeliads
These plants help to bring a tropical vibe to any room you put them in. They are a mix of leafy green leaves with brightly colored flowers, often red, with blooms that can last for months. Bromeliads like bright, indoor light and prefer humidity, so they do well in areas like kitchens. They can be an option for generally pet-safe plants that make a fun addition to any home.

Polka Dot Plant
If you want a plant with some personality, look no further. This plant has beautiful, speckled leaves and comes in fun bright colors. It’s typically non-toxic to cats and dogs and stays relatively small, meaning you probably won’t have to change its pot as often. These plants thrive in partial sunlight, soil that is moist and well-drained and the love humidity.

Money Tree
These plants are resilient and able to stand up to a dog whacking it with its tail or a cat batting at it. These plants are a combination of multiple Pachira Aquatica trees that are braided together as they grow. Indoors, they can get anywhere from 1 to 8 feet tall, so they look good when sitting on the floor or a low plant stand. In addition to their elegant look, these plants also said to be good luck.

Spider Plants
Spider plants are leafy green plants with leaves that cascade downwards from their pot. They are generally nontoxic to both cats and dogs and can be grown indoors and outdoors. These plants are also fun because they make little baby plants. You can plop these into water and let them root a bit, and then plant the babies. You can keep these new “baby” plants for yourself or gift them to friends and family.

Areca Palm
Who doesn’t love a palm tree? This indoor palm with bamboo-like trunks will add a nice touch of greenery and fullness to your space with its own leaves. They are pet-friendly and are great for indoors. They even release some water into the room and can act as mini humidifiers in dry climates. As another bonus, these plants are rated among the best plants for removing indoor toxins.

Orchids
These beautiful plants look elegant in a windowsill and liven up a kitchen island. They are non-toxic to both cats and dogs and come in an endless array of beautiful colors – from pink to white to purple and beyond. You can purchase them everywhere from supermarkets to plant nurseries and more. Almost any place that sells plants appears to have them as they are so popular these days. They should be watered right before their soil gets dry. Overwatering may cause their roots to rot.

Fishbone Cactus
This is an indoor succulent with a big personality. It’s rated as a great beginner indoor plant for pet-owners because it’s relatively easy to care for. It has some curly leaves that stick out in a playful manner. It does require more water than most cacti, so don’t forget to give this little plant some occasional H2O every week or two.

Boston Fern
This species of fern is non-toxic to both dogs and cats. They are plants known for growing in tropical areas and thrive in bright, indirect light. These ferns come in several different varieties, all with distinctive leaves that fan out with character. It’s a fun addition way to add a touch of green to any room.

Calathea
These non-toxic plants are great air purifiers that have beautiful leaves that are very distinctive. They are sometimes referred to as “prayer plants,” a nickname that comes from the plant’s daily movement of the leaves up at night and lower in the daytime. They only need to be watered ever week or two and they prefer higher humidity and medium to bright, indirect light.

Venus Fly Traps
Have a lot of pests in your house? Think flies, mosquitos and gnats. This plant will not only add some greenery to your space, but it can also lure these insects in and trap them inside its leaves. It’s an interesting plant to own and is non-toxic to dogs and cats. These plants do best with bright light. Place them on your windowsill and let them double as a fly trap.