Is Phalaenopsis Orchid safe for cats and dogs?

Also sold as: Moth Orchid, Moon Orchid. Retail labels vary, so check the botanical name (Phalaenopsis) if you are matching a plant you already own.

What the ASPCA lists for Phalaenopsis Orchid

The ASPCA records Phalaenopsis Orchid (Phalaenopsis, family Orchidaceae) as Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses. Read the ASPCA entry.

The entry records no toxic principle and no clinical signs, and clears all three species the ASPCA tracks. The flowers are covered along with the leaves, which is the part that matters for a plant bought in bloom and left at nose height on a windowsill.

The ASPCA files this at genus level as Phalaenopsis sp. and gives it the alternative names Moth Orchid and Moon Orchid, so any phalaenopsis hybrid is covered whatever the pot label says. Orchids as a family come out well in this database: more than twenty orchid entries appear across the lists and none is marked toxic. The realistic risks with a supermarket orchid are the bark chips and the fertilizer rather than the plant itself, since a dog that eats a mouthful of orchid bark can obstruct on the pieces.

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 Phalaenopsis Orchid, 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.