Is Ball Fern Toxic to Dogs and Cats? (2026)
Davallia spp.
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Quick facts
| Toxic to dogs | No |
|---|---|
| Toxic to cats | No |
| Toxic to horses | No |
| Toxic component | N/A — non-toxic |
| Onset of symptoms | N/A |
| Indoor / outdoor | both |
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What to do
No treatment is needed. Cats are sometimes drawn to bat at the furry rhizomes trailing over the pot's edge — that's play behavior, not a toxicity risk.
Toxic component and mechanism
Ball Fern is not known to contain toxic compounds harmful to dogs, cats, or horses.
What makes this plant different
Ball Fern is confirmed non-toxic to dogs and cats by the ASPCA. Its more common name, Rabbit's Foot Fern, comes from the fuzzy, brown, furry-looking rhizomes that creep up and over the edge of the pot as the plant matures — a distinctive look that makes it easy to identify even before it's fully grown in.
Plant identification
- Scientific name
- Davallia spp.
- Family
- Polypodiaceae
- Also known as
- Ball Fern, Rabbit's Foot Fern, Squirrel Foot Fern, Deer Foot Fern
- Typically found
- both
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Last verified: July 2, 2026 · Cross-referenced with ASPCA Animal Poison Control