Pet-safe indoor plants in the UAE (and the toxic ones to avoid)

The short answer#

ASPCA lists parlour palm, areca palm, kentia palm, lady palm, cast iron plant, ponytail palm, peperomia and moth orchid as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. It lists pothos, monstera, philodendron, peace lily, ZZ plant, snake plant, aglaonema, dracaena and jade as toxic. All of them are common in UAE homes and shops.

Two rules run through this guide. First, we use ASPCA status only, never a shop's 'pet-safe' label. Second, non-toxic does not mean safe to eat: ASPCA says eating any plant material can cause vomiting and stomach upset in dogs and cats, and that its list is not all-inclusive. If you think your pet has eaten a plant, call your vet.

Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA)#

Each plant below has an ASPCA entry that lists it as non-toxic to both dogs and cats. Entries sometimes use a different Latin name from the one on a shop label, which the notes point out.

Easy and non-toxic

Parlour palm

Parlour palm

Chamaedorea elegans

Low–BrightPet-safe

Areca palm

Areca palm

Dypsis lutescens

BrightPet-safe

Kentia palm

Kentia palm

Howea forsteriana

Low–BrightPet-safe

Lady palm

Lady palm

Rhapis excelsa

Low–BrightPet-safe

Cast iron plant

Cast iron plant

Aspidistra elatior

Low–MediumPet-safe

Ponytail palm

Ponytail palm

Beaucarnea recurvata

Bright–SunPet-safe

Common houseplants ASPCA lists as toxic#

These are popular UAE houseplants with an ASPCA toxic listing. Many cause mouth and stomach problems, but a few are more serious, and any chewing deserves a call to your vet.

Mouth and throat irritants (calcium oxalate)

Other toxic plants

Not on the ASPCA list we checked#

Some plants sold in the UAE had no entry in the ASPCA database when we searched it on 7 October 2026. 'Not listed' is not the same as safe.

• Air plant (Tillandsia): not on the ASPCA list; treat with caution.
• Bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus): not on the ASPCA list; treat with caution. ASPCA lists a different Asplenium fern (Asplenium bulbiferum) as non-toxic, but not this species.
• Croton (Codiaeum variegatum): not on the ASPCA list; treat with caution.
• Olive (Olea europaea): not on the ASPCA list. ASPCA lists Russian olive and autumn olive, which are different plants. Treat with caution.

The 'money plant' naming trap#

Four different plants are sold as a money plant or money tree, and two of them are toxic. In UAE shops 'money plant' usually means pothos. Plntd sells 'Money Plant (Golden Pothos)', and Greensouq lists Epipremnum aureum as 'Money Plant'. That is the toxic one.

The rule: buy by botanical name, not common name. Ask the shop for it or find it on the label, and match it to the ASPCA entries above. If a listing does not give one, treat the plant as unknown.

Why shop 'pet-safe' labels can be wrong#

A shop label is marketing, and nobody checks it against the ASPCA list for you. On 7 October 2026 we read one Dubai shop's 'pet-safe' collection page. It promised non-toxic plants for curious cats and dogs, yet it listed monstera, aglaonema, philodendron, syngonium and anthurium, which ASPCA lists as toxic. On another shop's pothos page, one section called the plant pet-friendly and non-toxic while its care summary said to keep it away from pets. ASPCA lists pothos as toxic.

A label can be right, but it is not evidence. Three habits help:

• Check the botanical name against the ASPCA entry, not the badge on the product.
• Beware shared names. 'Money plant', 'ribbon plant' and 'rubber plant' each cover more than one species.
• Expect old names. ASPCA still lists zebra haworthia as Haworthia fasciata and prayer plant under Calathea insignis, so match by genus as well as by name.

If your pet chews a plant#

1. 1

   Move the plant out of reach

   Stop your pet eating more, and take the plant out of its reach (ASPCA).

2. 2

   Note what it was

   Find the botanical name from the label or shop listing, take a photo of the plant, and note roughly how much was chewed and when.

3. 3

   Call your vet straight away

   Tell them the plant's name. ASPCA's advice is to contact your local vet, or its own poison control line, if you suspect your pet has eaten a plant. ASPCA's line is US-based and charges a consultation fee. We could not confirm a UAE plant-poisoning helpline, so your vet is the first call. Save your vet's out-of-hours number now.

4. 4

   Go to a vet hospital if swallowing or breathing is affected

   ASPCA says a pet that has trouble swallowing or breathing should be taken directly to a veterinary hospital.

5. 5

   Follow your vet's instructions

   Do not try home remedies unless your vet tells you to.

This guide is not veterinary advice. For plants that cope with a dim flat, see our low-light guide. For picks by room and situation, see indoor plants for Dubai homes.