Is Parlor Palm toxic to cats?
Parlor palm is non-toxic to cats (S0 Safe): the ASPCA lists Chamaedorea elegans — sold as both parlor palm and bamboo palm — as safe for cats, making it one of the few large-form houseplants a cat household can keep without a plan.
- 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.
Nothing to do — really
Care at a glance
FAQ
My cat chews the parlor palm fronds every day — is that a problem?
Not a poisoning problem. Parlor palm is S0 Safe for cats: the ASPCA lists Chamaedorea elegans as non-toxic with no toxic principle and no clinical signs on record, which is why it is one of the few large floor plants a cat household can keep without a plan. S0 means non-toxic on record, not that a big meal of any plant sits well — a cat that eats a lot of leaf may still get an upset stomach. Daily chewing is mostly hard on the plant, which will show ragged tips, and on the floor. If you'd rather the cat stopped, move the pot rather than worrying about the cat.
Is bamboo palm the same plant as parlor palm?
Yes. Both names belong to Chamaedorea elegans: the ASPCA carries two entries for the plant, one under each name, and each lists the other as an alternative common name. Both entries say non-toxic to cats and dogs with no toxic principle on record, so whichever label your nursery used, this S0 verdict applies. The names that are not the same plant are "bamboo" and "lucky bamboo" — a grass and a Dracaena respectively — and those are sorted out on our palm hub. If your plant is a bare stalk in water, it is not a palm at all.