10 Best Cat-Safe Plants UK 2024

What better plant for cat owners than one that's not only non-toxic but actually beneficial for them to chew on? It's not known exactly why cats chew grass (a common belief is that it helps create hairballs), but it's a natural behaviour that they all exhibit.

Not only is it a great choice for indoor cats who don't have access to ordinary lawn grass, but cat grass - also known as wheatgrass - is a brilliant plant for human consumption. Full of essential vitamins and minerals, try blending in juices and smoothies to give you a real health boost!

The first thing you'll notice about this showy tropical plant is its vibrant colours. We particularly like its deep green leaves, threaded with bright red veins and splattered with yellow. It also has a unique - and frankly, amazing - habit of folding up its leaves at night, hence its 'prayer plant' nickname!

The completely pet-safe Maranta Fascinator originates from tropical Central and South America and the West Indies. As it's used in warmer climes, it's only suitable for indoor growing in the UK. They thrive in humid environments, so keep it regularly watered or in your bathroom, where it'll get plenty of steam. 

Melissa Officinalis is a member of the mint family, also known as Lemon Balm, for the citrusy scent of its leaves. Its distinct fragrance means it has been cultivated for hundreds of years for various uses, such as aromatherapy, tea, and attracting bees.

Although it can be grown indoors, Lemon Balm is best grown outside, where with exposure to direct sunlight, it can grow up to a metre tall. Its ability to attract bees and its endless uses make it a great addition to any garden, particularly if you have cats for whom it is completely safe.

Moth Orchids are one of the most popular indoor plants, and it's easy to see why. They flower all year round, and because they can grow up to a metre tall, they're fantastic for brightening up your home - especially when they come in such lovely shades of pink!

They're also easy to take care of, requiring only regular watering, a warm temperature, and some bright light. Most importantly, they're completely non-toxic to pets, making them a great choice for cat owners who want a more colourful flowering plant for the home. 

Chlorophytum comosum is popularly known as the spider plant. This is not because its spiky, dangling leaves resemble a spider's legs, but due to a mix-up with another plant that, it was falsely believed, was an antidote to spider bites.

Its hardy nature makes the spider plant one of the most suitable candidates for indoor growing. It can be potted, growing up to 60 cm tall, or placed in a hanging basket, where its leaves can descend several feet. There is even evidence, provided by a NASA study, on its ability to purify air!

Catnip is a small plant grown worldwide, famously named for how alluring it is to about two-thirds of cats! It's believed to activate the 'happiness receptors' in a cat's brain, and sniffing or chewing it often leads them to roll and frisk with enjoyment or feel calm and sleepy.

Not suitable for indoor growth, it's best grown in your garden, where it makes a great ornamental plant. As well as luring cats, it also has the ability to attract butterflies and repel certain insects, such as mosquitoes and flies!

The Chamaedorea Elegans, also known as the parlour palm, is a small palm tree native to the rainforests of Southern Mexico and Guatemala. Its beautiful leaves are popularly harvested for flower arrangements, Palm Sunday services, and funeral decorations.

This had contributed to it becoming one of the most popular houseplants in the world and even yielded it the 'Garden Merit' award from the Royal Horticultural Society. Fortunately, cat owners are not excluded from enjoying it, as the Chamaedorea Elegans is also completely pet-safe. It can reach 8 ft in height, though, so just make sure you have enough room! 

Chamomile is a name instantly recognised worldwide, even among the non-green-fingered. Its purported medicinal properties and ability to calm and relax make it a popular ingredient in teas and essential oils, but it's also found in everything from soaps to cosmetics.

It's also non-toxic to cats, making it a great choice for growing both outdoors and indoors, where it'll thrive with only four hours of light a day and a weekly watering. The added boon is that eventually, you can harvest it to make your own delicious tea! It isn't particularly hardy, though, so you will need to keep this one indoors during winter.

The Money plant is prevalent among practitioners of traditions such as Vastu and Feng Shui for its perceived ability to bring positivity and wealth to its surrounding area. There are actually several plants that get grouped under the name, but we've picked Pilea Peperomioides, commonly known as the 'Chinese Money Plant'.

Its rounded, coin-shaped leaves complement the idea that this is a plant that'll bring money into your home, and because it thrives in temperate conditions, it makes a perfect house plant. While it isn't the best option if you want to add a big leafy spot to your home, some will grow to over 30 cm tall.

The Boston fern, also known by many other names, including the sword fern, is found in tropical regions worldwide. Its serrated leaves give it an alluringly exotic feel that's sure to liven up your home.

It's a popular house plant for the fact that it's so easy to take care of. Give it a little bit of light and a spray of water now and then, and it's happy. It's also great for pet owners because it's non-toxic. Just make sure you can position it somewhere that it receives enough humidity.