Pet-friendly plants to decorate your home

Plants are very practical decorative solutions for both indoor and outdoor environments. However, having pets at home can limit the choice of certain varieties. 

5 safe plants for cats and dogs 

It's not easy to keep pet curiosity under control, so it's more efficient to eliminate any contact with potentially dangerous elements. This selection of safe plants for cats and dogs will add a nice decorative touch at home without putting the health of your pets at risk.

• Bamboo: it can be grown indoors and outdoors in soil and pots. Its wood is hard to gnaw, and its leaves are unattractive to pets. However, ingestion is not dangerous.
• Cacti: For obvious reasons, dogs and cats are not very attracted to cacti. From a decorative point of view, there are very colourful varieties, and they are also straightforward to care for as they hardly need any attention.
• Orchids: they are flowers of great beauty that inspire luxury and elegance. Ideal for select environments and free of danger for house animals.
• Rosemary: in soil they can develop as large shrubs with very resistant trunks. They do not need special care, they are great for cooking or for perfuming rooms and there is no danger in case pets take a bite out of them. 

What are some toxic plants for dogs and cats?

There are many other plants suitable for cats or dogs. Although it is best to check before placing them in the house, it is worth remembering which varieties should not be used to decorate a home where dogs or cats also live.

• Lilies: they affect cats more, which can suffer from kidney failure. In both dogs and cats, their ingestion can cause vomiting and stomach discomfort requiring medical attention.
• Aloe vera: although its properties are very beneficial for humans, this is not the case for pets. The aloin in the gel of this plant irritates the intestinal mucous membranes, which can lead to vomiting and diarrhea. 
• Poinsettia: this beautiful ornamental plant typical of the Christmas season has a very acidic inner sap that can cause damage to dogs and cats not only by ingestion but also by contact with sensitive areas of the skin or eyes.