Pampas
Grass.

Pampas grass is safe— the risks are sharp, not toxic.

Yes — pampas grass is safe for cats. The ASPCA lists Cortaderia selloana as "Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses." There is no toxin in the blades, the plumes, or the dried decor.

Pampas grass is a large clump-forming ornamental grass in the family Poaceae, instantly recognisable from its towering feathery plumes. Indoors it shows up most often as dried decor — those tall cream plumes in a floor vase — and that is exactly where most cat owners encounter it.

ASPCA Data

According to the ASPCA, pampas grass is listed under plants non-toxic to cats:

Non-Toxic to Dogs, Non-Toxic to Cats, Non-Toxic to Horses.

There are no toxic principles. A cat that chews a blade or bats at a plume is in no danger of poisoning.

The real cautions are mechanical, not toxic

"Safe" here means non-toxic, but pampas grass is not entirely without hazards — they are just physical ones:

• Sharp, saw-edged blades. The leaves carry fine serrated edges that can nick skin like a paper cut. This is the reason gardeners wear gloves to cut it.
• Fibrous plumes in quantity. A cat that bites off and swallows a mouthful of plume fibre can gag, and in rare cases a large wad could risk a digestive blockage. The fibre is not poisonous, but it is not food either.
• An irresistible toy. The plumes wave like prey, and many cats cannot resist them. Expect shed fluff around any dried arrangement, and place tall vases where they cannot be toppled.

None of this is poisoning. A cat that nibbles pampas grass does not need an emergency call — just sensible placement and supervision of determined chewers.

A note on planting it: invasive species

There is one more reason to think before planting pampas grass outdoors, and it has nothing to do with cats. Cortaderia selloana is an aggressive invasive species — it is formally listed as invasive in California, Australia, and New Zealand, where it self-seeds prolifically on the wind and crowds out native vegetation. If you garden in those regions, choose a sterile or dwarf cultivar such as 'Pumila', or grow something else entirely.

Growing pampas grass

Pampas grass wants full sun, free-draining soil, and space. It is drought-tolerant once established and largely undemanding. Cut it back hard in late winter — wearing gloves and long sleeves to guard against the blades.

The bottom line

Pampas grass is non-toxic and safe to keep around cats, including the popular dried plumes — just mind the sharp blades, supervise plume-chewers, and think twice about planting it where it is invasive. For other safe, grassy greenery, see bamboo and lemon grass. Note that heavenly bamboo, despite the name, is toxic — not a grass at all.