Pet safety
Is Cast Iron Plant safe for cats and dogs?
Cast Iron Plant is not toxic to cats or dogs, according to the ASPCA.
Considered safe
Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) is listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs on the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list (entry verified 2026-07-31).
Also sold as: Bar Room Plant, Iron Plant, Variegated Cast Iron Plant. Retail labels vary, so check the botanical name (Aspidistra elatior) if you are matching a plant you already own.
What the ASPCA lists for Cast Iron Plant
The ASPCA records Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior, family Liliaceae) as Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses. Read the ASPCA entry.
The ASPCA clears this plant for all three species it tracks, so the entry lists no toxic principle and no clinical signs. A cat that chews a leaf may still vomit, because any quantity of fibrous plant matter can do that, but nothing in the plant is working against the animal.
The ASPCA files this plant in the family Liliaceae, the lilies, which reads alarming next to the true lilies that cause kidney failure in cats. It is a filing convention rather than a warning. Botanists moved Aspidistra to Asparagaceae years ago, and the ASPCA record still uses the older grouping. The verdict on the entry is the part that matters, and it is non-toxic for dogs, cats and horses.
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 Cast Iron Plant, 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.