Safe Bushes & Plants That Are Non Poisonous to Cats

Vegetables and Fruits

• If you have a vegetable garden and also have an outdoor cat, you may want to take precautions against allowing your cat to access the garden or simply grow plants that are safe for cats. Vegetable plants that are nontoxic to cats include carrots, cucumber, beets and zucchini. Several varieties of squash, such as acorn, buttercup and banana squash, are also cat-safe. Various gourds are safe for cats, as are a few types of fruit, including honeydew melon and strawberry plants.

Herbs and Nuts

• Many homeowners grow potted herbs indoors and outdoors. Herbs that are safe for cats include cinnamon, jasmine, chamomile and sage. Catnip, also called catmint, is a favorite herb of many cats and is easy to grow. In addition to herbs, a variety of nuts are nontoxic to cats. These include black walnut, bitternut, bitter pecan and chestnuts.

Flowers

• Whether you keep potted flowers inside your house or have an outdoor garden, be sure they are nontoxic varieties if your cat has access to them. Many of the most popular garden flowers, including petunias, violets and daisies, are cat-safe. Other nontoxic flowers are geraniums, cornflowers and snapdragons. Some flowers, such as marigolds and carrion flowers, are cat-safe and can also ward off unwanted pests in your garden.

Bushes and Shrubs

• While cats may be less likely to chew on or play with bushes, as opposed to flowers and other small plants, it is still a good idea to ensure that all the bushes your cat is likely to encounter are nontoxic. Examples of nontoxic bushes and shrubs are Chinese plumbago, coleus, zebra plant and pampas grass. In general, palms and ferns such as parlor palm, paradise palm, roosevelt fern and sword fern are nontoxic to cats. Some of the bushes and shrubs most toxic to cats are holly, evergreen and chinaberry.

Houseplants

• Many cats wreak havoc on houseplants — chewing on them, digging in the dirt or knocking over pots. If your cat is prone to some of these behaviors, it is important that the plants you keep around the house are safe. Some of the most popular nontoxic houseplants include the spider plant, bamboo and orchids. Philodendrons are one of the houseplants most toxic to cats, as is aloe and various species of lily.