Is Calathea safe for cats and dogs?

What the ASPCA lists for Calathea

The ASPCA records Calathea (Goeppertia, family Marantaceae) as Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses. Read the ASPCA entry.

The ASPCA covers the whole genus in one entry and records no toxic principle and no clinical signs for any of the three species it tracks. This is one of the few genuinely relaxed answers in the database.

The name on this page and the name on the ASPCA entry no longer match, and neither is wrong. Botanists moved most of the plants sold as calathea into the genus Goeppertia, so a modern plant label may read Goeppertia orbifolia where the ASPCA entry reads Calathea spp. The ASPCA covers the group at genus level under the older name. Every plant in the family Marantaceae that the ASPCA lists, including the prayer plant, comes back non-toxic, so the renaming changes the label rather than the answer.

What this verdict does and does not mean

Being non-toxic does not mean a plant is chew-proof: even pet-safe houseplants can upset a cat's or dog's stomach if they eat a large amount, simply because it is plant matter. Most toxic houseplants cause irritant-level symptoms, such as drooling, mouth soreness, or a mild upset stomach, rather than a medical emergency. A small number of plants are a genuine emergency, most notably true lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis species) for cats, which can cause fatal kidney failure from even a small amount of pollen or a nibbled leaf. If you are ever in doubt, or your pet has eaten part of a plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.

More on pet safety

Read the full care guide for Calathea, browse the pet safety checker for other plants, or identify a plant from a photo first if you are not sure what you have. Verdicts here follow the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.