Is calathea toxic to cats?
Calathea is non-toxic to cats (S0 Safe): the ASPCA lists the whole genus (Calathea spp.) as safe for cats, dogs, and horses — pattern varieties like rattlesnake and peacock plants included.
S0SAFE
- TOXINnone — no toxic principles on record
- WHAT TO EXPECTno symptoms on record
- CALL THE VETSee a vet only if unusual or persistent symptoms follow ingestion.
S0S1S2S3S4
Nothing to do — really
1
No action needed. Calatheas sulk over water quality far more than cats ever threaten them.
2
When to call the vet: See a vet only if unusual or persistent symptoms follow ingestion.
Care at a glance
Lightmedium
Waterevery 5–9 days
Humidityhigh
Difficulty●●○
FAQ
Does the S0 verdict cover every calathea — rattlesnake, peacock, zebra?
Yes, at the level our sources grade: the ASPCA's Calathea entry is genus-wide (Calathea spp., Marantaceae), listed as "Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses" — and its separate Caeroba entry (Calathea insignis, sold as Rattle Snake Plant, Peacock Plant, or Zebra Plant) is non-toxic too. So the popular pattern varieties all fall under the safe verdict. One naming note: the 'zebra plant' name is shared with two unrelated plants — see our zebra plant page for that three-way split (all three happen to be safe as well).