Is calathea toxic to cats? The ASPCA lists Calathea spp. as non-toxic to cats. Many familiar calatheas use Goeppertia names; match your plant to the five species records below rather than assuming every look-alike is covered. Chewing can still cause stomach upset. Prevent further access, contact your veterinarian if your cat seems ill, and seek prompt advice for uncertain identity or possible chemical exposure even if your cat looks well.
If your cat is having difficulty breathing, is unconscious, is bleeding, or is having seizures, go directly to a veterinary clinic for immediate care. These are general emergency signs in the ASPCA’s potential-poisoning guidance, not signs that identify Calathea poisoning.
What does the Calathea non-toxic classification cover?
The ASPCA Calathea entry gives its scientific name as Calathea spp. and lists it as non-toxic to cats and dogs. That is broader than a record for just one species. It should still be reported in the source’s own naming, rather than silently changed into a guarantee for every modern Goeppertia, every nursery label, or the whole Marantaceae family.
There is also a separate ASPCA “Prayer Plant” record. Its scientific name is Calathea insignis. NC State lists that older name under Goeppertia insignis, the rattlesnake plant. The common names on the ASPCA page include “Maranta,” but its scientific-name field does not say Maranta leuconeura.
Non-toxic does not mean edible or harmless to chew. The ASPCA database guidance says eating plant material can cause vomiting or gastrointestinal upset in cats and dogs, including material from non-toxic plants. A classification also cannot establish what happened to an individual cat or clear another substance swallowed with the plant.
Which scientific names match the five researched plants?
Use the scientific name on the plant’s label as a starting point, then open the corresponding source. Each of the five individual NC State Extension pages below carries a non-toxic-for-cats tag and a non-toxic-for-dogs tag. These are separately checked Extension records, not five individually named ASPCA entries or evidence that every cultivar has been tested.
| Name you may find on a label | NC State name and direct record | What to check before using it |
|---|---|---|
| Calathea insignis or Calathea lancifolia; rattlesnake plant | Goeppertia insignis. NC State also lists Goeppertia lancifolia as an older name. | These names refer to one species in this crosswalk. The ASPCA’s separate Calathea insignis record applies to this named plant. |
| Calathea makoyana; peacock plant or cathedral windows | Goeppertia makoyana. | “Peacock plant” alone is ambiguous: NC State also uses it for G. zebrina. Check the scientific name. |
| Calathea ornata; pinstripe plant | Goeppertia ornata. | A striped leaf or a retailer’s cultivar name alone does not establish this species. |
| Calathea orbifolia | Goeppertia orbifolia. | Use this exact Extension record for the species. Do not cite the ASPCA’s Calathea insignis record as though it named orbifolia. |
| Calathea zebrina; zebra prayer plant or peacock plant | Goeppertia zebrina. | “Zebra” and “peacock” are not unique scientific identities. Match the complete species name rather than a shared nickname. |
The older and newer names do not represent extra varieties. The New York Botanical Garden’s Goeppertia guide also pairs G. ornata with Calathea ornata, and G. insignis with G. lancifolia and Calathea lancifolia. These botanical sources explain the name relationships; veterinary advice about an exposure comes from a veterinary professional.
Calathea lancifolia and Goeppertia insignis refer to one named species in NC State’s record. The illustrated leaf pattern is context, not an identification test. Use the linked scientific-name record and seek help when identity remains uncertain.
If the label says only “calathea,” “prayer plant,” or “tropical foliage,” the exact plant remains unresolved. Keep the label and photographs of the whole plant and leaves for an identity check; the table is not a visual identification key. If your cat may already have eaten an unidentified plant, seek professional advice promptly rather than delaying the call to finish identifying it.
Our prayer plant versus calathea comparison already explains the shared names and rattlesnake crosswalk. If the plant is Maranta leuconeura, use its separate Maranta and cat-safety guide; it is outside this five-species table.
What should you do if your cat chewed a calathea?
First, prevent more access and check how your cat is doing. A known non-toxic plant and a well cat are a different situation from an ill cat or a possible toxic exposure. Use the branch that fits what you actually know.
| Situation | Next step |
|---|---|
| Your cat remains well after chewing a confirmed plant covered by the records above, with no other substance involved | Prevent another chew and observe for changes. Ask your veterinarian if you are unsure about the circumstances; contact them if illness appears. |
| Your cat seems ill, including vomiting or gastrointestinal upset | Contact your veterinarian or ASPCA Poison Control for advice. Do not wait for vomiting to happen again or assume the plant explains the illness. |
| Identity is uncertain, or a pesticide, fertilizer, or another potentially hazardous substance may have been swallowed | Seek professional advice promptly, even if your cat looks normal. A plant’s non-toxic classification does not clear a different exposure. |
| Difficulty breathing, unconsciousness, bleeding, or seizures | Go directly to a veterinary clinic for immediate care. |
The well-cat observation branch is an editorial synthesis of the classification and ASPCA’s illness-contact guidance, not a species-specific treatment protocol. For illness or an uncertain exposure, your veterinarian or the ASPCA’s 24-hour US poison service at (888) 426-4435 can assess the case.
For a possible toxic ingestion, the ASPCA advises calling immediately even when a pet is acting normally. Have the plant label or photos, an estimate of what and how much was swallowed, the time, and any relevant treatment packaging ready. Gather what is available without delaying urgent care; follow the professional’s instructions.
Do not try to make your cat vomit or give a home antidote. Speak with a veterinary professional before giving anything after possible poisoning. The ASPCA’s emesis warning specifically says hydrogen peroxide must not be given to cats and that there is no safe at-home way to induce vomiting in a cat.
How can you prevent another chew without buying anything?
- Separate your cat from the plant and any spilled materials. Use an existing room your cat cannot enter, and check that leaves and fallen pieces are inaccessible too.
- Keep the scientific label with the plant’s records. If it has been treated, retain the exact packaging.
- Do not assume that a generic “pet-safe” claim or a dry leaf settles an ingestion question. Ask the veterinary professional about the actual substance if exposure is possible.
Separate your cat from the plant and spilled material using an existing room the cat cannot enter. Check that every leaf and fallen piece is inaccessible, and keep the room closed. The illustration shows a practical way to prevent further access; it does not certify a household barrier or replace veterinary advice about an exposure that has already happened.
Keeping the plant in an inaccessible room is a practical way to carry out the ASPCA’s prevent-further-exposure instruction, rather than a claim that a high shelf makes a plant unreachable.
Once the exposure question is settled, our calathea care guide for rattlesnake, peacock, and pinstripe plants covers routine growing conditions for those three species. It does not cover every calathea-labeled plant. Calathea already appears in our broader plant-selection coverage; the five direct species records above address the narrower naming and cat-exposure task.
Frequently asked questions
Is the calathea plant safe for pets?
The ASPCA lists Calathea spp. as non-toxic to cats and dogs; that does not establish safety for every pet species or identify an unknown plant. Match the scientific name to its source record, and prevent chewing because plant material can still cause stomach upset. Contact your veterinarian if your pet seems ill.
Why is Calathea called a prayer plant?
The common name overlaps because plants in these groups raise or fold their leaves at night. NC State uses “prayer plant” for both rattlesnake plant and Maranta leuconeura. The shared behavior does not settle identity or toxicity; use the scientific name and its matching source rather than the nickname.
What should I do if my cat ate Calathea?
Prevent further chewing and check your cat’s condition. Observe a well cat only after a confirmed non-toxic plant exposure with no other substance involved; contact your veterinarian for illness, including vomiting, without waiting for repetition. If identity or another swallowed substance is uncertain, seek prompt veterinary advice even if your cat looks well.
What is the difference between a snake plant and a rattlesnake plant?
Rattlesnake plant is Goeppertia insignis (Calathea insignis), classified by ASPCA as non-toxic to cats; snake plant is Dracaena trifasciata (Sansevieria trifasciata), listed as toxic to cats. These NC State name matches do not identify your specimen. After uncertain ingestion, seek prompt veterinary advice even if your cat seems well.
What happens if my cat eats my calathea plant?
Eating plant material, including non-toxic plants, can cause vomiting or gastrointestinal upset; a non-toxic classification cannot predict your cat’s individual response. The label also says nothing about another swallowed substance. Contact your veterinarian if your cat seems ill, and seek prompt advice for uncertain identity or possible chemical exposure even without symptoms.
Sources and scope
Sources were consulted November 2, 2026. This guide attributes the ASPCA’s Calathea spp. and Calathea insignis records separately, then maps five named species to NC State Extension’s individual pages. It offers source-based plant information, not a veterinary diagnosis or treatment plan.
- ASPCA: Calathea and Prayer Plant — the source’s exact scientific-name and non-toxic records.
- ASPCA plant database guidance — identification limits, possible stomach upset, and when to contact a professional.
- ASPCA: What to Do if Your Pet Is Poisoned and Is It Ever Safe to Induce Vomiting? — potential-poisoning action and treatment boundaries.
- NC State Extension: the five direct species records linked in the table, plus Maranta leuconeura for the overlapping common name and leaf movement.
- New York Botanical Garden: Goeppertia (Calathea) — corroborating older-name relationships.
- NC State Extension: Dracaena trifasciata and ASPCA: Snake Plant — the separate snake-plant name and toxic classification; not the rattlesnake plant.
