Are artificial plants safe for pets? — the complete Australian guide
The short answer: yes — quality artificial plants made from polyethylene or polyester are not toxic to cats or dogs. They contain no plant compounds, no pollen, no soil, and no water that could harbour bacteria. For Australian households with pets, faux plants eliminate the most serious risk associated with indoor greenery entirely.
The longer answer requires a bit more nuance. While faux plants are not poisonous, there are a handful of practical considerations for pet households — and a long list of common real houseplants that are genuinely dangerous to cats and dogs in Australia. This guide covers both.
Why pet owners are switching to faux plants
Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world — around 69% of households own a pet, according to Animal Medicines Australia. Cats and dogs together account for the vast majority, and both species share a tendency to investigate, chew, or occasionally eat houseplants.
The problem is that many of the most popular indoor plants in Australia are genuinely toxic to pets. Not mildly irritating — toxic in ways that can cause kidney failure, seizures, or death. The fiddle leaf fig, for example, is one of the most purchased indoor trees in Australia. It is also listed by Australian vets as a plant that causes significant irritation and potential toxicity in cats and dogs. The same applies to philodendrons, peace lilies, pothos, and many other species that appear regularly in Australian interior design content.
Faux plants remove this risk entirely. A dog that chews a leaf from a quality polyethylene faux olive tree will experience nothing — the material is the same type used in food-safe containers and children's toys. The aesthetic result is identical to the real thing; the risk is not.
Common Australian houseplants that are toxic to cats and dogs
This is not an exhaustive list — for a complete reference, the Australian Animal Poisons Helpline maintains a comprehensive database. These are the species most commonly found in Australian homes that pose the greatest risk.
| Plant | Toxic to | Risk level | Key symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lilies (all species) | Cats primarily | Severe — can be fatal | Kidney failure. Even water from a lily vase is dangerous to cats. No safe exposure level. |
| Philodendron (inc. fiddle leaf fig, monstera, pothos) | Cats and dogs | Moderate to severe | Calcium oxalate crystals cause mouth swelling, drooling, difficulty swallowing, vomiting. |
| Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) | Cats and dogs | Moderate to severe | Mouth and throat irritation, vomiting, difficulty swallowing. Commonly kept as a low-light indoor plant. |
| Daffodil and tulip bulbs | Cats and dogs | Severe | Vomiting, diarrhoea, low blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, tremors, seizures. |
| Sago palm (Cycas revoluta) | Cats and dogs | Potentially fatal | All parts are toxic. Liver failure, vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures. Common in Australian gardens. |
| Aloe vera | Cats and dogs | Moderate | Vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy. Despite its medicinal reputation for humans, it is toxic to pets. |
| Snake plant (Sansevieria) | Cats and dogs | Mild to moderate | Contains saponins — causes vomiting, diarrhoea and nausea. Very popular low-maintenance indoor plant. |
| Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Brunfelsia) | Dogs primarily | Potentially fatal | Uncontrollable seizures lasting days, tremors, vomiting. Common in Australian gardens. |
Are faux plants actually safe for pets?
Quality artificial plants are made from polyethylene (PE), polyester, or similar polymer materials. These materials are classified as non-toxic — they are the same category used in food-safe plastics, children's toys, and medical equipment. If a pet chews a leaf from a quality faux plant, the material will not poison them.
The practical caveat is choking risk rather than toxicity. If a pet — particularly a puppy or kitten — chews apart a faux plant and ingests small pieces of plastic, there is a potential choking or obstruction risk, in the same way that any small household object presents a risk to a curious young animal. This is a management consideration rather than a toxicity concern, and is easily addressed by placing trees in positions that are less accessible to very young or very determined chewers.
No toxic compounds
Quality PE and polyester faux plants contain no alkaloids, calcium oxalate crystals, saponins or other compounds that cause toxicity in pets. The material is inert.
No pollen, no soil
Real indoor plants carry pollen that can cause allergic reactions, and soil that can harbour bacteria and fungi. Faux plants carry neither. Relevant for both pets and allergy-prone humans.
Choking risk if chewed
Not toxic, but small plastic pieces chewed from a faux plant can present a choking or obstruction risk in young pets. Inspect plants regularly for chew damage.
No standing water
Plant saucers with standing water can breed bacteria and mosquitoes — a consideration in Australian summer. Faux plants require no water at all.
The best faux plants for Australian pet households
Every faux plant in The Plants Corner range is pet-safe from a toxicity perspective. These are the varieties that work particularly well in pet households — combining aesthetic impact with practical positioning advantages.
Faux Olive Tree
The real olive tree (Olea europaea) is actually mildly toxic to cats and dogs — it can cause stomach upset when leaves or fruit are ingested. The faux version delivers the same Mediterranean styling with zero risk. Available from 120cm to 240cm.
Shop faux olive trees →Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig
The real fiddle leaf fig is toxic to both cats and dogs. Our faux version gives you the same bold architectural presence — the dramatic oversized leaves, the tall upright form — with zero toxicity risk. A genuine upgrade for pet households.
Shop faux fiddle leaf figs →Faux Birds of Paradise
Strelitzia (real birds of paradise) is mildly toxic to cats and dogs when ingested. Our faux birds of paradise is completely safe — same dramatic tropical foliage, none of the risk for curious pets.
Shop faux trees →Faux Kiku Flowers
Real chrysanthemums are toxic to cats and dogs. Our faux kiku flowers and silk arrangements deliver the same elegant sculptural blooms — safely displayed in any household regardless of pets.
Shop faux flowers →Practical tips for pet households
Place trees strategically. A 180cm faux olive tree in a corner with a heavy fibrestone pot is very difficult for a dog to knock over and not particularly interesting to a cat. Positioning matters — a lightweight pot on an exposed surface is more vulnerable than a heavy pot set into a corner. Our fibrestone pots weigh 4–8kg empty and significantly more with pebble ballast, making them stable in any pet household.
Inspect regularly. Once every 4–6 weeks when you clean the plant, run your eye over the foliage for any chew marks or damage. A plant that a pet has been systematically chewing should be repositioned or placed out of reach. Small chewed plastic pieces are the concern, not toxicity.
The transition approach. Many Australian pet owners use the arrival of a new puppy or kitten as the moment to audit their houseplants and replace any toxic species with faux equivalents. It is a one-time investment that removes an ongoing risk permanently — and the faux versions require far less ongoing attention than real plants, which suits the demands of caring for a young animal.
Frequently asked questions
Are artificial plants toxic to cats?
No. Quality artificial plants made from polyethylene or polyester are not toxic to cats. They contain none of the plant compounds — alkaloids, oxalate crystals, saponins — that cause toxicity in real plants. If a cat chews a faux plant leaf, the material is inert and will not cause poisoning. The practical concern is choking on small plastic pieces if a plant is heavily chewed, rather than toxicity.
Are artificial plants toxic to dogs?
No. The same applies to dogs as to cats — quality faux plants made from standard polymer materials are not poisonous to dogs. The Australian Animal Poisons Helpline (1300 TOX PET) handles calls about real plant ingestion regularly; artificial plant ingestion is not a toxicity concern in the same category.
Is a faux olive tree safe for cats and dogs?
Yes — and it is actually safer than the real equivalent. Real olive trees (Olea europaea) can cause mild gastrointestinal upset in cats and dogs when leaves or fruit are ingested. Our faux olive trees contain no plant compounds at all and are entirely safe for pet households.
Is a faux fiddle leaf fig safe for pets?
Yes. The real fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause oral irritation, drooling and vomiting in cats and dogs — it is listed by Australian vets as a plant to avoid in pet households. Our faux fiddle leaf fig trees contain none of these compounds and are completely safe.
What should I do if my pet eats a real plant?
Contact the Australian Animal Poisons Helpline immediately on 1300 TOX PET (1300 689 738). This service operates 24 hours a day. Identify the plant if possible — take a photo or sample. Do not wait for symptoms to appear as some toxic plants cause delayed reactions. Your local emergency vet can also advise.
Which real plants are safe to have in a pet household in Australia?
Boston ferns, spider plants, orchids, and bromeliads are among the most commonly recommended real plants that pose low risk to cats and dogs. For a comprehensive list, the Animal Emergency Service Australia maintains an A-Z guide to pet-friendly plants at animalemergencyservice.com.au. For complete certainty with no maintenance required, quality faux plants eliminate the question entirely.
Shop pet-safe faux plants — beautiful homes, no compromise
Every plant in our range is non-toxic and safe for Australian pet households. Dispatched within 4 business days from Sydney.
Shop pet-safe faux plants