Low light houseplants not toxic to cats | Best Pet-Friendly Indoor Plants

Introduction

Any cat parent who enjoys keeping indoor plants will agree that it is not easy to identify pretty indoor plants that require little to no direct sunlight exposure, and are nontoxic to cats. Cats love to explore with their mouth and always keen on whether the foliage they come across is risky for their tiny teeth to chew. Fortunately, there are a great many gorgeous houseplants that prefer low light and are totally nontoxic to cats. In this article, you will find out which houseplants can help you create a beautiful atmosphere in your apartment at night while keeping your cat safe.

Understanding Low light houseplants not toxic to cats:

What Does Low Light Mean for Plants?

Low light conditions are specific areas in your home that have either very little or no access to direct sunlight. These may be regions such as small windowed areas, shaded areas or zones far from the window in the particular room. Not all the plants grow in low light but as evident many types of plants are capable of growing in conditions of low light available to them.

Why Is it Important to Use Cat Friendly Plants?

Any pet owner, and particularly those who have cats at home, need to pay particular attention to which plants they have around the house. Many cats have the tendency of biting on plants, and this is very dangerous, since many plants maybe toxic and can cause a serious health risk to the cat. In any case, your pets are sure to be safe if you have a choice of only houseplants that cannot cause harm if ingested or chewed. Thankfully, there are many beautiful and hearty low light plants safe for cats.

7 Non-Cat Safe Low Light Houseplants

Here is a list of the best low-light, cat-friendly houseplants to consider:

1. Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)

• Light Requirements: Low to moderate light
• Toxicity to Cats: Non-toxic
• Benefits: Contributes to improving the quality of air in your house, it is famous for putting fresh green leaves inside a house.
• How to Care for Boston Fern:
  – The soil should remain moist at all times but should not be soaked.
  – Place it in an area with indirect light or in a slightly shaded spot.
  – Do not use in areas with drafts.

2. Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)

• Light Requirements: Indirect, diffused, cool, low to moderate intensity
• Toxicity to Cats: Non-toxic
• Benefits: Gives your home the feel of the tropics, easy to grow in low light conditions, and breaks airborne germs.
• How to Care for Areca Palm:
  – Water often but let the soil get dry between water.
  – Place in an area that is slightly shaded.
  – Keep away from cold drafts.

3. Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)

• Light Requirements: Low to moderate light
• Toxicity to Cats: Non-toxic
• Benefits: Can be grown in areas that receive partial to low direct sunlight, useful for including indoor foliage.
• How to Care for Bamboo Palm:
  – Water when the top layer of soil feels dry.
  – Avoid direct sunlight as it can cause leaf burn.
  – Avoid high humidity levels.

4. Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)

• Light Requirements: Low to moderate light
• Toxicity to Cats: Non-toxic
• Benefits: Fresh leaves with different pattern, and best suited in low light conditions.
• How to Care for Prayer Plant:
  – Simple, put it in a place where there is not direct sunlight.
  – Thus, the aroid plant requires a damp, but not wet, ground most of the time.
  – Mist leaves time to time to provide the required humidity level.

5. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)

• Light Requirements: Low to moderate light
• Toxicity to Cats: Non-toxic
• Benefits: Low maintenance, easy to grow and is an excellent air purifying plant.
• How to Care for Spider Plants:
  – When the top 1-2 inches of the soil is dry.
  – Store in a place with bright in direct sunlight or a low-light room.
  – Trim off brown tips to maintain its appearance.

6. Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

• Light Requirements: Low to moderate light
• Toxicity to Cats: Non-toxic
• Benefits: It can be characterized as very resilient as well as cold tolerant and makes a good impression when grown in low Light conditions.
• How to Care for Parlor Palm:
  – Store at a room with diffuse light.
  – Water it when the surface of the ground feels like it needs it.
  – Often wash the leaves to remove dust on them.

7. Calathea (Calathea spp.)

• Light Requirements: Low to moderate light
• Toxicity to Cats: Non-toxic
• Benefits: Familiar to many because of remarkable patterns on the leaves and their bright colors.
• How to Care for Calathea:
  – Store in low to moderate quantities of light.
  – Irrigation – when the first inch of the soil is dry.
  – Mist departs often to retain dampness in the environment.

Table: Comparison of Low Light, Cat-Friendly Plants

Plant Name	Light Requirements	Watering Needs	Toxicity to Cats	Benefits
Spider Plant	Low to moderate	Water when soil is dry	Non-toxic	Easy to grow, air purifier
Areca Palm	Low to moderate	Water when soil is dry	Non-toxic	Adds tropical feel
Bamboo Palm	Low to moderate	Water when soil is dry	Non-toxic	Great for shaded areas
Prayer Plant	Low to moderate	Keep soil moist	Non-toxic	Beautiful foliage
Boston Fern	Low to moderate	Keep soil moist	Non-toxic	Air-purifying, lush
Parlor Palm	Low to moderate	Water when soil is dry	Non-toxic	Tolerates low light
Calathea	Low to moderate	Water when soil is dry	Non-toxic	Vibrant colors, striking leaves

How to Care for Low Light Houseplants

Caring for low light houseplants is relatively simple, but there are some key steps to follow to ensure they thrive:

1. Proper Light:

Make sure that your plant is situated in an area with filtered light or low light. Prefer not to place them in direct sun exposure because it may burn the leaves, specifically to Calathea or Prayer Plant.

2. Watering:

Also, ensure that you check regularly the state of the soil for dryness. Many low light house plants are picked at when the upper layer of soil appears dry and requires water. Nonetheless, they require a large amount of water, and this must be controlled to avoid root burning which results in root rot.

3. Humidity:

Most low light plants, especially ferns and Calatheas require higher humidity. If your home is dry you should put the humidifier near the location of the plant or always spray the plants on a regular basis.

4. Fertilizing:

In the period of vegetation (spring and summer), fertilize your plants once a month using an average concentration of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium preparations. During winter most of the plants do not grow and therefore, do not require any fertilizer input.

5. Cleaning Leaves:

Dust can settle on your plants’ leaves thereby hindering light from getting to the plants. Bushes and trees should be washed with clean water using a piece of cloth al little frequently usually once in a few weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Spider plants: Are they toxic to cats?

Yes! Spider plants are considered to be safe to be in the presence of cats and thus it’s okay to have it around your cats. Nonetheless, they may attract the curious cats and therefore; it is recommended that they be placed in a position where the cat cannot access them if your cat is the type that bites on the plant leaves.

2. For which house plants are suitable for the dark rooms where cats are likely to be brought in?

Some of the most examples of low light tolerant plants include Parlor Palm, Spider Plant and Bamboo Palm which are predominantly safe for cats. All these plants can be grown in areas that receive little direct sunlight.

3. What can I do to prevent my cat from consuming my house plants?

Cats are extremely curious by nature but you can attempt to move plants out of a cat’s accessible ways or use safe and organic repellents such as citrus peels. You can also give cat grass or catnip to keep your cat away from your other plants.

4. Can I have plants in my home because I have cats?

Yes, on condition that using plants that don’t have poisonous effects on the living beings in the area is used. Unfortunately, low light plants are not toxic to cats in many case so you can get an attractive indoor garden for your cat without harm.

Conclusion

Often people believe that after making some room in their house for a pet, they need to forget about houseplants. This means that it possible to make your home beautiful while at one time ensuring that the cats are safe from harm by choosing low light houseplants that are safe for cats. If you would like some greenery, a Boston Fern is an excellent choice as are Spider Plants which can tolerate low light and are safe for both you and your feline friends.

While choosing the plants and providing certain attention to their care, they could become an exquisite part of interior design that has brought the beauty of nature inside your home, but free from potential danger for your pets.