Cats may be carnivores, but they have an innate need to occasionally eat greens. Indoor cats have no choice but to nibble on whatever you have on hand, and if you give your cat fresh greens that are safe, you can keep your cat healthy and a little happier. Plants can be considered a part of environmental enrichment for cats. The richer the environment, the happier the cat. Below is a list of suggestions for greenery that will satisfy your cat’s need to graze while keeping him safe.
There are several seed mixes available for planting indoors just for cats. Most of them are comprised of a mixture of wheat, oat and rye grasses. Even ordinary lawn grass grown indoors can be a suitable alternative. Catnip can also be grown in containers but should not be available to the point where the cat eats the entire plant.
For the indoor gardener, there are several types of herbs that not only make your cat happy, but are useful in the kitchen. Among these are basil, thyme, oregano, sage and parsley.
If you are a houseplant lover and choose to pick plants that are not only safe for cats but are ornamental as well, it is best to choose from the list below.
African Violet (many species) Lithops Indoor Ferns
Aluminum Plant Madagascar Jasmine Safe for Cats
American Rubber Plant Maranta Boston
Baby’s Tears Mosaic Plant Button
Begonia (many species) Neoregelia Christmas Dagger
Bloodleaf Peperomia (many species) Dallas
Bottlebrush (some species) Persian Violet Fish Tail
Burrow’s Tail Piggyback Plant Dwarf Whitman
Calathea (lancifolia) Pilea microphylla Hare’s Foot
Camellia Pony Tail Holly Fern
Cape Primrose Prayer Plant Nephrolepis
Cast Iron Plant Spider Plant Staghorn
Chenille Plant Swedish Ivy Sword
Chicken and Hens Velvet Plant Yellow Button
Chocolate Soldier Venus Fly Trap
Christmas Cactus Wandering Jew
Crossandra
Cushon Aloe (not Aloe vera) Indoor Palms Safe for Cats
Earth Star
Echeveria (many species) Areca
False Aralia Bamboo Palm
Flame-of-the-woods Dwarf Feather
Flamingo Plant Dwarf Palm
Ginger Fan Tufted
Gloxinia Feather
Goldfish Plant Kentia
Grape Ivy Lady
Impatiens Parlor of Good Luck
Jasmine Yellow
Lady’s Slipper
