Houseplants for a small apartment with limited natural light and cats

[AnnaBees Mama]

We have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment. In our kitchen/dining area/living area space we have a sliding glass door for light--- that's it. It's on the living room end of the things. Our dining and living areas get medium natural light, and our kitchen gets much less than that. There is a large window with narrow sills in each bedroom. That's all the natural light we have. 

The kicker is we have two cats who insist on eating plants and will knock them off of surfaces easily.

We have one measly plant, unidentified---   a generic-looking run of the mill leafy plant. It is upon our corner fireplace's mantle, right next to the sliding glass door.

There are a few places in the house where we can have plants that the cats won't get into, but they are darker areas-- atop a bookshelf in the living room (medium light), and atop my curio (medium light), and then atop my cabinet and refridgerator (dark/medium light).

I think our bedrooms are probably a lost cause for flora as we have no high places that the cats can't access, even though we get great light. Though, a hanging planter is a possibility.

I would appreciate plant suggestions, ones that thrive in darker environments. 

[DoubleDouble]

I think most shade-loving plants are toxic to cats. That said, I have a few huge Monstera (Swiss Cheese) plants, and the cats apparently didn't see them as chewable plants, because the leaves are so big. There is also a snake plant, and I don't have one because I don't like them, but it might fit into "too big to register as a plant" criteria.

You can use a "bitter apple" spray to discourage cats, too - just don't use anything with capsaicin or hot pepper, because if that gets into the eye, the cat can scratch the eye out from pain.

Also, grow some grass for the cats - they use grass to get rid of hairballs, to trigger the vomiting reflex. Then they will pay less attention to other plants because they won't feel desperate for a remedy.

Edited by DoubleDouble - 11/18/11 at 12:46pm

[FarmerBeth]

English ivy can grow well in shade, and you can hang them.  When we were apartment dwellers, we dealt with the cats by hanging plants.  I also used orange crates and hung them in tiers from the ceiling.  Then I placed the plants on it like a hanging shelf, located close to the window.  Small herb pots could fit on bedroom sills and you'd also get an odd nibble.

[Kedrosami]

Pothos plants in hanging pots. My favorite!

[azdesertrn]

Spider plants are supposed to be nontoxic to cats. 

My spider plants seem to do fine with low light.  I have one hanging and a couple on top of the fridge - none get direct sunlight and they have all survived for years.  When I forget to water them they just look pale and perk right up once I remember.  They are supposed to be good for absorbing indoor air pollution and improving air quality.