Darina Schweizer
Guide
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Do you have these plants at home? Then don't let your pets touch them!

Darina Schweizer
19/3/2025
Translation: machine translated

Plants spice up any living space. But if you have pets, you need to be careful. This is because a lot of greenery is poisonous - including some favourite classics.

On my desk is William, a male plant. It is sold under this name because it is very easy to care for. One man in my flat particularly likes it: Jasper the cat. The long stems are reminiscent of Mikado sticks. And they bob incredibly temptingly when I hit the keys.

Lately, Jasper would often sneak behind my screen and start gnawing on the stems. At least he didn't swallow them, but spat them out with a sniff. Why he still didn't stop nibbling is as incomprehensible to me as many other things the cheeky chap comes up with. The end result looked like this:

Gnawed off and left lying around: Jasper's work.
Gnawed off and left lying around: Jasper's work.
Source: Darina Schweizer

It's quite annoying, but I wasn't worried until now. Until I learnt that the Sansevieria is a member of the hemp family and is poisonous. Now I don't let Jasper touch it any more. But what about the rest of my greenery? Which ones are poisonous and what do I do with them? Here is a brief overview that can save you as a pet owner from having to call the vet in an emergency.

Fingers off these plants

Particular caution is according to guides, the following plants should be avoided. They can lead to vomiting, shortness of breath, swelling, diarrhoea and many other nasty symptoms:

Highly toxic houseplants (not exhaustive)

Highly poisonous garden plants (no claim to completeness)

Yes, I know. Some names on this list are particularly painful because they are very popular. But you don't have to throw away your Monstera, Yucca and co. just because of that. Here are three suggested solutions.

Variant 1: Deterrence

Scare your cat or dog away as soon as they approach the plant. Alternatively, you can spray the plant - or even better: the pot - with diluted lemon juice, vinegar or another repellent scent. This helps with some animals.

Jasper is an exception, nothing can stop him. I can shout and spray as much as I like. That's why I opted for something different:

Variant 2: aim high

For particularly stubborn four-legged friends, you can hang your plants up or place them on a high plant staircase or shelf. There are also variants that are impossible to climb for the best climbers

Variant 3: non-toxic alternatives

As another option, there are many plants that are non-toxic to pets. You can set up according to guides, for example, with a clear conscience:

I personally opted for an Echeveria, a Haworthia and an olive tree (only the fruits are poisonous to dogs). They are also particularly easy to care for. In other words, they're manly plants that Jasper is likely to gnaw on. But it's like with children: What's allowed is usually uninteresting.

What plants do you have as a pet owner? Or how do you keep your pets away? Tell us in a comment.

Header image: Darina Schweizer

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Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.ch

I like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know? 

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