Cat Friendly Garden Plants: 14 Safe & Colourful Choices

Do you love gardening but worry your curious cat or kitten might nibble on dangerous plants? Cats naturally prefer grass, often leaving most plants alone, yet many common garden varieties can be toxic. Lilies and foxgloves are particularly hazardous, as their pollen can cause serious kidney damage in cats. Fortunately, you can create a safe and beautiful garden by choosing non-toxic plants that brighten your outdoor space without harm.

Bamboo

Bamboo adds an exotic feel to your garden, providing height and gentle rustling sounds in the breeze. It also makes a relaxing hideout for cats. Bamboo varieties like Phyllostachys nigra can grow tall—up to thirty feet—so research your choice to suit your garden space. It’s ideal for screening fences or sheds. Bamboo can also be grown in containers but may need splitting as it grows to avoid cracking pots.

Begonia

Begonias are perfect to add colour, boasting full flowers in a rainbow of shades. They bloom from June to October and thrive in full sun, making them a safe, non-toxic choice for cat owners.

Cat Grass

Easy to grow from seed, cat grass quickly sprouts in just three to five days. Cats love nibbling on it, benefiting digestion and helping with hairballs. Plant in borders or pots for a quick-growing cat-safe greenery.

Catmint (Nepeta)

An all-time favourite of cats, catmint invites playful rolling and sniffing. To protect plants from enthusiastic nibblers, try growing several potted catmint plants and keep some sheltered under plastic bags for regrowth. Established plants grow vigorously and benefit from regular trimming. Dry leaves and flowers can be made into homemade cat toys by stuffing them inside clean socks.

Goldfish Plant (Nematanthus)

This charming houseplant has shiny green leaves and bright orange flowers shaped like swimming goldfish, sure to intrigue your feline friend. Best kept indoors, in conservatories or greenhouses, they can survive frost-free outdoor areas if needed.

Hens and Chickens Fern

This attractive fern adds lush greenery and spreads through tiny bulbils that grow into new plants. Its dense foliage works brilliantly as a feline hideaway.

Herb Garden

A shared herb garden offers delights for you and your cat. Safe, fragrant herbs like thyme with its pink and purple clumps; hardy rosemary, easy to relocate thanks to shallow roots; and friendly basil, dill, mint, sage, tarragon, and parsley provide sensory stimulation and health benefits to cats. Be sure to rinse herbs well before cooking.

Lavender

Lavender is a popular, easy-to-care-for shrub with a divine scent and appealing appearance, perfect for a cat-friendly garden.

Marigolds

Marigolds offer vibrant borders with varieties like African and French types, known for their bright colours and strong, pleasant scent.

Nasturtiums

These fast-growing flowers thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Nasturtiums come in climbing, variegated and dwarf varieties and produce vibrant blooms many will enjoy. Their edible flowers add a peppery zest to salads and can be sown every year from saved seeds, making them an economical choice.

Roses

All rose varieties are non-toxic to cats and provide delightful fragrances—a classic garden favourite.

Snapdragon

Snapdragons bring a nostalgic charm with two-toned flowers resembling bunnies or dragons opening mouths. Cut back after summer to enjoy blooms again in the autumn. These flowers attract beneficial bees and butterflies, adding wildlife interest to your garden.

Sunflower

Known for their majestic height and bright heads, sunflowers are safe for cats. When faded, keep seeds to replant or feed to wild birds, supporting local wildlife.

Violets

Violets provide a splash of colour in borders, containers or hanging baskets, boosting garden vibrancy while being feline-safe.

By choosing these 14 safe, non-toxic plants, your garden becomes a sanctuary where you and your cat can enjoy nature worry-free. Adding a water feature could further entice your cat and create a peaceful retreat.