Cat friendly air purifying plants: Safe and Healthy Choices for Your Home
Introduction
Being pet lovers especially cat handlers you tend to be worried with the surrounding where your loved pets stay. These are some of the measures that need to be put in place if there is going to be a healthy indoor enviroment, one of these is the air quality. Air purifiers and ventilation systems are a good option, but have you considered that specific plants will enhance air quality in your home and are totally okay for your cats? In this article, we’ll tell you about cat safe air filtering plants, how they work and give you a list of the top cat friendly plants.
Understanding The Cat friendly air purifying plants:
To begin with, let me tell you why air purification is essential both for us and our feline friends before sorting out which plants are safe for them. The toxins that are present inside our homes include; VOFs, formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia to mention but a few. Such compounds can be sometimes found in furniture, cleaning agents and other items used at home.
Besides, air can easily become stagnant in homes that are tightly closed during the cold season. Air pollution is known to cause a number of ailments, including allergies, respiratory disorders and illnesses.
The Role of Plants in Air Purification
Some plants have the ability to absorb the carbon dioxide and allowed the release of oxygen in the room. It also indicated that many plants also purify the air of toxic material through a process referred to as phytoremediation. In the same process, plants absorb gases in their leaves and roots and purge cleaner air back into the environment.
However, having a pet deserves it to be cautious when choosing seeds/ plants to be grown at home . Many of the plants placed indoors for ornamentation are poisonous to cats and if ingested can result in possible poisoning and illness. Hence, it becomes very critical to discover plants that clean the air without any harm to your cats.
The Way Air-Purifying Plants Improve Your Home
But, let us pause for a moment and consider how these plants make your home environment better?
- Air Quality Improvement: Some plants can filter out gases and chemicals that are bad for our health like formalin, benzene, and ammonia. That can be helpful in lowering risks of respiratory issues for the people and their pets.
- Increased Humidity: The process of transpiration, by which plants give off moisture into the air, also serve to control levels of humidity in your home space. This is especially helpful in hot, dry environments or during colder seasons of the year
- Natural Aesthetic: In addition to the practical uses that plants provide, they tend to make every home look much more attractive. Essentially their greenery makes a room look more lively than it actually is.
- Mental Health: It has been ascertained that plant care is beneficial for heath. Research indicates that planteroeleaves lead to decreased levels of stress and anxiety and increased mood.
The top 7 cat friendly air purifying plants
Some plants are poisonous to cats but there are some species of plants that remain safe and effective also at cleaning the air. Let’s take a look at some of the best options for your home:
1. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Benefits:
- Able to effectively filter out airborne particles including both formaldehyde, benzene, and xylene.
- Indirect sunlight tolerant and very low maintenance.
Why It’s Cat-Friendly:
Spider plants are safe for cats and can actually withstand if they are bitten occasionally. The animals are tough and do not require much attention to be paid on them by the owners.
2. Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
Benefits:
- Reduces airborne contaminant levels such as formaldehyde and xylene.
- Popular for dissolving the moisture content within a building thereby useful in regions with low humidity indoors.
Why It’s Cat-Friendly:
It is good to know that Areca palms are pet safe and could be placed in homes with curious cats.
3. Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
Benefits:
- Great at removing formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the air.
- Tolerates low light and is easy to maintain.
Why It’s Cat-Friendly:
The bamboo palm is non-toxic to cats, as well as dogs. The one with pets should be happy to know that this cleaner is non-toxic and gentle on the environment.
4. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Benefits:
- Outperforms in the removal of formaldehyde and other indoor air toxins.
- makes a space visually look more visually alive and natural, especially when the plants used are shade varieties.
Why It’s Cat-Friendly:
Boston ferns are safe for cats and cats should never be allowed to gnaw on them since they can easily snap off – but you’ll need high humidity and constant moisture and therefore it makes sense to put a fern in the bathroom or kitchen.
5. Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
Benefits:
- Enhances the humidity levels in your home or office.
- In severing its purpose in removing toxic compounds such as form aldehyde and Xylene.
Why It’s Cat-Friendly:
Safe for cats, this lovely plant is very simple to care for and thus ideal for any home with cats.
6. Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
Benefits:
- Mostly known for its capability in removing formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals.
- Compared to its competitors, it is relatively small and has high capability in poor light.
Why It’s Cat-Friendly:
Cathy has also found that parlor palm is non-toxic to both cats and dogs so works well for those who have furry friends.
7. Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)
Benefits:
- Formaldehyde removal as a way of combating bad air quality.
- Foliage of this plant is quite beautiful and may add color to any room it is placed in.
Why It’s Cat-Friendly:
Prayer plants are safe for cats and would greatly enhance the looks of your house.
Comparison of Cat-Friendly Air-Purifying Plants
To make it easier for you, here’s a quick comparison of the plants listed above:
| Plant Name | Air-Purifying Benefits | Light Requirements | Cat-Friendly | Maintenance Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spider Plant | Removes formaldehyde, benzene, xylene | Indirect light | Safe | Low |
| Areca Palm | Removes formaldehyde, xylene | Bright, indirect light | Safe | Low |
| Bamboo Palm | Removes formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene | Low to bright light | Safe | Low |
| Boston Fern | Removes formaldehyde | High humidity, indirect light | Safe | Medium |
| Parlor Palm | Removes formaldehyde, benzene | Low to medium light | Safe | Low |
| Prayer Plant | Removes formaldehyde | Indirect light | Safe | Medium |
—
Tips for Keeping Your Plants Safe and Healthy
1. Monitor for Cat Nibbling:
Although the plants mentioned above are not toxic, a cat may be enticed to bite them. If this occurs, it might be recommended that you move your plants to above the reach of your cat such as shelves, spaces which your cat cannot easily access.
2. Watering and Humidity:
Find out the water and humidity requirements of your plants so that you can aid them properly. The species that need more misting include the ferns whereas those that synthesize less moisture include the palms.
3. Use Safe Soil and Fertilizers:
The soil used, together with the fertilizer, should not be toxic to the pets in case they dig deeper into the soil. Those that have oils that your cat may decide to lick off and hurt its tiny stomach should be avoided.
4. Regular Cleaning:
It is therefore advisable to always dust on plants in order to contain diseases. In turn, dust deposition poses a risk to their capacity to clean the air and maintain smart home standards.
FAQs:
Q: Can cats eat spider plants?
A: Yes, spider plants are harmless for cats and won’t cause any harm if ingested by your feline friend. But very occasionally some of the cats may be interested in the leaves and may begin to nibble on them. This is not at all detrimental but it does harm the plant.
Q: Can I maintain a self-sufficient air-purifying plants if my cat is tender to nibble on plants?
A: If your cat’s behavior is to chew on plants, ensure you place the plants way up high or use a plant stand for the plants. Otherwise you could attempt things like sprinkling citrus peel around the plants.
Q: Do all the palms are safe for cats?
A: That means not all types of palms are safe for the cats: Nevertheless, the Areca palm and Bamboo palm being safe for the cats and can be used to improve the quality of the air in the house.
Q: How many of these plants should be in a small room?
A: For offices or any small house, one or two plants should suffice. When selecting plants ensure that they are not too big to fill the space where they are placed.
Conclusion
Indoor plants which help to clean the air are perfect for improving the air quality in the house, adding style and offering your pets a friendly living environment. Cat owners in particular must be very careful of the plants that they introduce into their homes for decoration. Spider plants, Areca palms, bamboo palms, boston ferns, parlor palms, and prayer plants are all perfect for homes that have cats.
Just a reminder; these plants are perfectly safe for your cats but it is necessary to never leave your cat unsupervised near any of these plants. If you follow these few tips then you and your cat can get all the benefits of having better air quality inside your home. Happy planting!