Is Majesty Palm safe for cats and dogs?

What the ASPCA lists for Majesty Palm

The ASPCA records Majesty Palm (Ravenea rivularis, family Aracaceae) as Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses. Read the ASPCA entry.

The ASPCA lists no toxic principle and no clinical signs. Worth knowing if you are shopping for a large floor plant with pets in the house, because several of the obvious alternatives at that size are toxic: fiddle leaf fig and the wider Ficus genus, dieffenbachia, and the sago palm, which is the dangerous one.

Do not confuse Majesty Palm with Sago Palm

This is the collision that actually matters in a garden centre. A sago palm is not a palm at all, it is a cycad, and it is one of the most dangerous plants sold as a houseplant: the ASPCA's clinical signs for it end with liver failure and death. A majesty palm is a true palm and is non-toxic. They are shelved together, both sold as an easy indoor palm, and both have the word palm in the name. If you are buying a palm for a home with a dog, check the label for Cycas or Zamia and put it back. The ASPCA lists Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta, zamia species) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses, toxic principle Cycasin, with clinical signs: Vomiting, melena, icterus, increased thirst, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bruising, coagulopathy, liver damage, liver failure, death. Read the ASPCA entry for Sago Palm. If you are unsure which one you have, treat it as the toxic plant until you can confirm, and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 if your pet has eaten any of it.

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 Majesty Palm, 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.