Guide to Keeping Plants with Pets

It should be no surprise that people who love pets also love having plants in their lives.

Some love spending their time surrounded by plants in the garden. Others love filling their homes with house plants.

But sometimes having plants and pets presents problems for pet parents.

Pots get knocked off shelves. Dirt gets dug in. Plants get eaten. And the biggest danger is some plants are toxic to pets.

So knowing all that, the question is…

Can you keep plants with pets?

Absolutely. With planning and precautions, you can enjoy sharing your home with both your plants and your pets.

But the planning is very important. You don’t want to find out too late that the plant your dog or cat got into caused them to get sick or even die.

What are some things you’ll need to consider?

• What plants are bad to have around pets
• What plants are fine to have around your pets
• How you will keep your plants safe from your pets

Which plants are toxic for pets?

When adding plants it’s important to know which plants are a danger to your pets.

In what ways do plants harm your pet?

Some may just cause mild problems, like dermatitis or GI upset, but other can cause seizures, organ failure, and even death.

These plants are popular house plants that can cause problems for your pets. For details on how these plants might harm your pets, just click on the name.

• aloe vera
• amaryllis
• dieffenbachia
• crown of thorns
• Easter Lily
• Ficus
• Golden Pothos
• Philodendron
• Poinsettia
• Schefflera
• Asparagus Fern
• Gold Dust Dracaena
• Jade Plant
• Ornamental Pepper
• Philodendron
• Rex Begonia
• Sago Palm
• Snake Plant

If you already have one of these plants or just have to have one, you’ll want to be sure your pets cannot reach it.

Which plants are safe for pets?

Luckily, there are plenty of pet-safe plants that plant enthusiasts can keep with their pets.

These plants are considered non-toxic, but it’s important to keep in mind that any plant has the potential to cause gastrointestinal upset if ingested, so you’ll want to keep an eye on your plants and you may need to take some of the same precautions to keep them safe as you would for toxic plants.

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To find out if your favorite plant is safe to be around your pet take a look at the ASPCA’s plant database.

If you don’t trust yourself to pick out pet-friendly plants for your collection, check out these services that will help you get the right plants.

• Horti offers a pet-friendly plant bundle.
• Cellar Door Plants offers a pet-friendly plant subscription box.

How to Keep Your Plants Safe from your Pets

Some pets just cannot leave plants alone.

And plant lovers want to keep their plants safe as much as they want to keep their pets safe.

Luckily there are some things you can do to protect your plants.

• Keeps paws out of the dirt. If you have a pet who just can’t resist digging on your pots, a plant pot protector might be just the thing to keep your plants safe in their post.
• Keep your plants out of your pet’s reach. One of the best ways to keep your pet out of your plants is to put your plants where your pets have no chance of getting at them.
  • Place your plants up high, on top of shelves or cabinets. Keep in mind this will work well for dogs, but cats like being on top of things so may be able to access the plants.
  • Use plant hangers to hang your plants out of reach(and add a little retro touch to your decor).
• Have a plant only room. While it’s nice to have plants throughout your home. If your pet just won’t leave your plants alone, you may want to designate a room for just your plants and give your pet no or limited access to it.
• Use a plant cabinet. I saw these hacked Ikea cabinets turned into indoor greenhouses and thought they would be a great solution for pet lovers who love plants too.

If real house plants won’t work but you still want some greenery in your home, consider artificial plants. They are a great way to add green to your home without the same worries of real plants with your pets.

You can definitely share your home with both pets and plants. And you can definitely keep both safe with just a little preparation.