If you share your home with a cat or dog, you've probably learned that a lot of popular houseplants are toxic to pets. The good news: plenty of easy, beautiful plants are safe. Here are our favourites, sorted by the light you have.

A quick note on "pet-safe": it means the plant is non-toxic. It doesn't mean it's a snack. A cat that chews a lot of any plant may still get an upset tummy, so keep plants a little out of reach of determined nibblers. If your pet eats something and seems unwell, call your vet.

For lower light

• Cast Iron Plant: nearly indestructible, happy in dim corners. The speckled Milky Way is a favourite.
• Calathea and Maranta (prayer plants): patterned leaves that fold up at night. Try Peacock Calathea, Rattlesnake Calathea or Rabbit Tracks Maranta. They like evenly moist soil and filtered water.
• Ferns: Bird's Nest Fern and Blue Star Fern are easier than most ferns and love a bright bathroom.

For medium to bright, indirect light

• Pilea (Chinese Money Plant): round, coin-like leaves and lots of babies to share.
• Spider Plant: a classic for a reason. Tough, fast-growing and great in hanging baskets. (Cats do love to chew these, so hang it high.)
• Peperomia: compact, slow-growing and forgiving. Try Pepperface, Marble or trailing Ruebella.
• Hoya: waxy leaves, sweet-smelling flowers, and very happy to dry out between waterings. Hoya Krimson Queen and Hoya Compacta are easy starters.
• Money Tree (Pachira): a braided trunk and glossy leaves; a great floor plant in a bright spot.
• Butterfly Palm: soft, feathery fronds for a tropical look.
• String of Turtles: a tiny trailing plant for shelves and small spaces.

For a sunny window

• Haworthia and other small succulents like Haworthia Cooperi: like aloe's pet-safe cousin.
• Cacti: non-toxic, though the spines are their own warning. Assorted cacti and Lithops are easy to keep small.
• Christmas Cactus: blooms every winter and is safe for cats and dogs. See our Christmas Cactus Care guide.

Common plants to keep away from pets

Some favourites are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, including pothos, philodendron, monstera, ZZ plant, snake plant, aloe, peace lily, dieffenbachia and lilies (very dangerous for cats). If you already have these, place them well out of reach.

Shop pet-safe plants

Every plant in our Pet Safe Plants collection is non-toxic to cats and dogs, and you can filter any collection by Pet Safe. Each product page also shows a pet-safe icon. Not sure? Ask us in the shop. We're pet people too.