You have a curious cat or two at home, and you’re wondering which succulents are toxic to cats and which ones are safe. Worry not, my friend. This post lists 8 succulents safe for cats. Bonus? The succulents look gorgeous, they’re pretty hard to kill, and are probably the start of a beautiful friendship provided your cat(s) doesn’t get jealous and chew them up or knock them off the table. Well, even if kitty does chew them up, they won’t harm her. So, that’s the important thing here! These succulent plants are all safe for cats.
Having said that, though, kitty is a tough one to predict. So, please keep these plants somewhere she cannot easily reach them. A hanging planter can be a great (and cat-safe) addition to your home decor! And if your indoor air needs some cleaning up, here are cat-safe non-toxic air purifying indoor plants.
Ok, now without further ado, let’s jump into it.
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8 Gorgeous Succulents Safe for Cats
1 // CHRISTMAS CACTUS (Schlumbergera truncata)
Also known as Thanksgiving cactus or Easter cactus, this festive little guy is a popular holiday gift option. Though we’ve just crossed that season, you can still bring one home. The flowers are beautiful, but will only bloom in winter (so if you’re lucky, you can buy a Christmas Cactus in full bloom right now!). And unlike most other holiday gifts, this succulent is low maintenance.
Care Instructions for Christmas Cactus
2 // ECHEVERIA SUBSESSILIS
These rose-shaped succulents are native to the hot and dry parts of Central America. They come in a range of eye-catching colors and produce gorgeous flowers to boot.
Care Instructions for Echeveria
3 // GHOST PLANT (Graptopetalum)
Apt name! These pale-looking plants with a rosette-shaped growth need watering only once every other week. A cool thing about them is that they change shades based on the amount of sun they receive. This is likely to keep you more curious about this plant than your cat will be!
Care Instructions for the Ghost Plant
4 // HENS AND CHICKS (Sempervivum)
So these hardy plants are called Hens and Chicks. They have little evergreen rosettes (‘chicks’) unfurling out of the original rosette (‘hen’), and can survive in extreme conditions.They are, in fact, popular in rock gardens because of their hardiness and their stunning colors and shapes.
Care Instructions for Hens and Chicks
5 // PRICKLY PEAR (Opuntia ficus-indica)
Other types are the cactus pear and the paddle cactus. The Opuntia is commonly known as an edible variety of cactus. Btw, did you know cacti are a type of succulent? There are over 200 edible cacti that belong to the Opuntia succulent species. They’re edible alright, but covered in prickly spines, which is enough by itself to deter your cat. They are extremely drought-resistant, so it is recommended to water them twice a month.
Care Instructions for Prickly Pear
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6 // PONYTAIL PALM (Beaucarnea Recurvata)
The naming is not a surprise, although they could’ve also gone with ‘coconut palm’ or ‘fountain palm!’ The Ponytail Palm is very hardy, and often used as a decorative piece of home decor. I guess it’s easy to forget it’s alive when you only water it once a month or whatever!
Care Instructions for the Ponytail Palm
7 // SEDUM BURRITO (Sedum Morganianum)
Also known as Burro’s Tail or Donkey’s Tail, the Sedum Burrito is a cute little fleshy succulent that your cat probably would love to play with. This plant is easy to deal with, and is a perennial succulent. And it looks great from a hanging planter set-up.
Care Instructions for Sedum Burrito
8 // ZEBRA HAWORTHIA (Haworthia Fasciata)
This is among the most popular Haworthia species, with its thin leaves and ‘zebra’ striping. This low-maintenance succulent can be a stunning addition to your home that will also not adversely affect your home’s feline inhabitants.
Care Instructions for Zebra Haworthia
Succulents Your Cats Should Avoid
The succulents listed below are some of the major offenders, and it’s best you keep them out of your house if you have a cat. If ingested by kitty, these succulents can cause a host of symptoms, from mild discomfort to vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy – to even severe symptoms such as depression, low heart rate, and incoordination.
1 // Aloe Vera
2 // Crassula (Jade)
3 // Euphorbia
4 // Kalanchoe
5 // Senecio (String of Pearls)
6 // Snake Plant
7 // Here’s ASPCA’s list of plants that are toxic to cats.
What if My Cat Ate a Succulent?
Stay calm, and move the plant away from your cat. Do you know what she ate? If it’s a toxic succulent, try to induce vomiting using hydrogen peroxide if the substance was ingested. In case of topical contact, wash the area with mild dish soap. Take your cat to the vet, if possible. Make sure you save a sample of the plant for your vet to look at. In any case, keep an eye on your cat – she may not exhibit adverse effects until hours after contact.
If your vet isn’t reachable, your other options are to call ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center or the Pet Poison Helpline ((855) 764-7661).
That’s it! I hope this post was useful to you and your cat. Enjoy the cat-safe succulents!
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