Pet-safe garden plants for dogs and cats

Border plants not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Safety here means the plant is not recorded as harmful in the veterinary toxic-plant lists Border Builder was checked against; a plant marked pet-safe can still upset a stomach if eaten in quantity, so keep an eye on chewers. Each plant page shows the same pet-safe line, and plants known to be toxic say so under Worth knowing.

If cats and dogs share your garden, it is worth knowing which border plants are non-toxic, since several popular favourites, including foxgloves, lily, yew and daffodil bulbs, are genuinely poisonous if chewed. Young, bored or curious animals are most at risk, particularly with bulbs that look like a digging prize. The plants gathered here are not known to be toxic to cats and dogs, though no plant should be a substitute for fresh grass, and any animal that eats large quantities of greenery may still be sick. Plant densely so there is less bare soil to dig, and site the more delicate choices out of the main run of traffic. These selections let you plant a full border with cats and dogs in mind.

Border Builder is a garden border planner for iPhone and iPad. Pick from the 491 plants below and it works them into a full plan: how many of each, where they go, and how the bed reads through the seasons.

Download on the App Store

491 plants for this

Common questions

Is a plant that is not on this list toxic?
Not necessarily. Plants show as pet-safe only when a source confirms it; anything unconfirmed is left off this list and its plant page says "Not confirmed".
What does "pet-safe" cover?
Dogs and cats. It does not cover horses, rabbits or livestock.
Can Border Builder plan a border using only these plants?
Yes. Choose the pet-safe option in the wizard and every plant in the plan comes from this list.

Planning a whole border? Read the guides.