Pet Safety on Every Plant You Scan
Leaf Scan now shows cat, dog, and human toxicity on every identification and every plant in your garden — and warns you before a toxic plant comes home.
About half of plant people share their home with a cat or a dog. Yet in most plant apps, toxicity information is buried three taps deep — or lives in a separate single-purpose app you're supposed to remember to check while standing in the nursery aisle.
We think safety information belongs where the decision happens. So as of this update, every plant Leaf Scan identifies — and every plant already in your garden — carries a clear toxicity badge for cats, dogs, and humans.
On every result, not behind a tap
Identify a plant and the toxicity badge sits right on the result card: safe, mildly irritating, or toxic — per species, per animal. Tap it for the details: which parts are the problem, what symptoms look like, and how urgent a vet call is.
Tell Leaf Scan you have a cat or a dog (one question, in settings or onboarding) and the app gets more protective: toxic identifications show a calm but unmissable warning, and plants in your garden that could harm your pet carry a small paw badge in the grid view.
Honest about uncertainty — here too
Toxicity data is grounded in established veterinary references, including the ASPCA's classifications. And when the data is genuinely unclear for a species, we say "unknown" — we never round uncertainty down to "safe." The same honesty rule that governs our plant identification governs this.
One thing to be clear about: a toxicity badge is information, not a diagnosis. If your pet has actually chewed something questionable, call your vet or a poison hotline first. The badge exists so you can plan your shelf heights and shopping list before it ever comes to that.
Choosing pet-safe plants is easier too
Browsing for your next plant inside the app? Filter by pet-safe and shop with confidence. Spider plants, calatheas, most palms and pileas — there's a generous, beautiful world of plants that won't hurt anybody. Some classics, like pothos and peace lilies, are best kept out of reach of curious mouths — now you'll know which is which before checkout.
- Toxicity badges now appear on every identification and plant profile.
- Set your pet type once — get warnings and paw badges automatically.
- "Unknown" means unknown. We never guess "safe."
- If a pet has already eaten a plant, call your vet — the app is for prevention, not emergencies.
FAQ
Where does the toxicity information come from?
From established veterinary and horticultural references, including the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plant classifications. When sources disagree or data is thin, we show "unknown" rather than guessing.
Does this cost extra?
No. Safety information is part of the free experience for every user, on every plant, forever. We don't believe in paywalling "is this dangerous to my cat."
My plant is toxic and my cat ignores it. Should I worry?
Many households keep mildly toxic plants safely out of reach for years without incident. The badge tells you the risk level and which parts matter, so you can decide on placement. For severely toxic species, we'd suggest hanging planters, closed rooms, or choosing a safe alternative.