Is Parlor Palm safe for cats and dogs?

Also sold as: Miniature Fish Tail Dwarf Palm, Good Luck Palm, Bamboo Palm. Retail labels vary, so check the botanical name (Chamaedorea elegans) if you are matching a plant you already own.

What the ASPCA lists for Parlor Palm

The ASPCA records Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans, family Palmae) as Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats. Read the ASPCA entry.

No toxic principle and no clinical signs are recorded, which is what you want to see. Note that the entry clears dogs and cats and states no verdict for horses, so this page claims nothing about horses.

The ASPCA lists Bamboo Palm as one of this plant's own names, and that is worth knowing because the word bamboo attaches to several unrelated plants in the database with different verdicts. This palm is safe. Lucky bamboo, which is not a bamboo either, is a Dracaena and is toxic.

Do not confuse Parlor Palm with Lucky Bamboo

Both plants are sold with bamboo in the name and neither is a bamboo. The parlor palm carries Bamboo Palm as an ASPCA alternative name and is non-toxic. Lucky bamboo is a Dracaena, and the ASPCA has no page for it under its own name: it is covered by the genus entry, which records saponins and lists dilated pupils in cats among the signs. That entry also carries Ribbon Plant as an alternative name, which the spider plant is sold under too. Reasoning from the word bamboo gets you the wrong answer half the time. The two look nothing alike once you know one is a feathery palm and the other a bare green cane. The ASPCA lists Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena spp.) as Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, toxic principle Saponins, with clinical signs: Vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, anorexia, hypersalivation, dilated pupils (cats). Read the ASPCA entry for Lucky Bamboo. 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 Parlor 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.