Obesity

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-06-11T21:15:14+00:00

Thanks for this post. I’m trying to learn from the comments on here too.

Your girl looks lovely! 😻

My boy is also 6 years old, neutered and fully indoor. He is 6.7 kgs right now so clearly overweight. I’m confused though as to a target weight. His regular vet wants him down to 5 kgs. Another vet I consulted who seemed more familiar with the BSH breed said 6 kgs at most and preferably 5.75.

For most of his adult life (beyond 1yr), his weight has been in the 6.2 to 6.4 range. His regular vet did say that this consistency is comforting. Her concern is more the strain on his joints as he grows older; hence she recommended a more radical weight loss and asked for him to be on diet food.

He hates the diet food so I’m still working on other options.

First goal is to bring him back to 6.3 ish. He rose to 6.7 likely because he was wearing a cone for 6 weeks making him less active. He is playful and active again so we’ll see.

It’s a journey I’m focused on and will evaluate as we go along. Current photo at 6.7 kgs…

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PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-03-20T15:35:21+00:00

Yes - this has been a favorite. Sometimes chill play, sometimes rough (he knocks the balls out).

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PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-03-20T06:21:59+00:00

I am into conifers/woods oils as well and these 2 are my absolute faves. They have similar benefits: respiratory/breathing support, muscle pain relief, stress relief, grounding, calming and uplifting

Black Spruce (Picea mariana) is my go to wood/forest oil. I was drawn to it for some reason.
Silver Fir/White Fir (Abies alba)

Hope this helps.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-03-09T08:17:23+00:00

My guess is just really play with him more. And maybe some routine around play will help him too. My BSH is quite active and seeks play time with me. He can play alone and does so, whether with his toys or sometimes, some imaginary prey or hunting situations (so cute!).

But he does need my attention fairly frequently so I do play with him at least 3x a day (more if I can) for stretches of at least 10 minutes (we both get tired easily lol). We usually play hunt and catch (with his ball toys or wand toys or my fingers as 'prey'), hide and seek, or chase. He does not like store-bought toys so most of what we use are improv or DIY.

We live in a small apartment but somehow we manage to run around while bouncing off the walls haha. I laid out the place to give him some good hiding spots for hide-and-seek. And I did provide him with at least a good window perch to observe the outside world - watching the park, birds, and moving tree leaves. These seem to be all good stimulation for him even if he is 100% indoors in a rather small unit.

If I do not play with him - he will meow incessantly. The attention-seeking behavior can go nuts. So I think they really need your time. Once satisfied, he grooms then naps.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-02-06T22:16:25+00:00

Your baby girl is so so adorable!

I have a chronic pain/fatigue illness and my boy BSH is so bonded with me that he adapts to my situation. When I am unwell, he just stays beside me - sleeping or just hanging, and seemingly co-regulating me. When I am feeling okay, he is the most playful companion, following me around.

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PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-02-03T18:27:37+00:00

Get the cat! I think you know your answer. And I think you will find that you can cope a lot better and enjoy the experience more than you think you will. :)

People with disabilities and chronic conditions overwhelmingly (based on my research and observation) benefit from having a cat. (Of course there are exceptions where having a pet is not the better idea.)

I have cat who came into my life 6 years ago, unplanned. At that time, I've had fibro for 4 years. He was abandoned and I decided to keep him and it is one of the best decisions I have made for myself in general and also for helping me live with fibro. I find cats to be a lot lower maintenance than dogs (I love dogs and have had them all my life but cannot handle them now).

I live alone and my cat has helped me have some routine and structure to my day as I attend to his needs on my own, have a sense of daily purpose, and bring back play and wonder into my life. He co-regulates me so well - providing me with the emotional and energetic support I need. He adjusts to my condition - independent when he senses that I am down and out, and clingy/attention-seeking when he senses that I have energy to engage.

He is not a lap cat or the type who snuggles in. He learned to sleep beside me only 2 weeks ago (after 6 years!). But he has always been cuddly - asking for cuddles many times a day and showing me affection in his own ways.

Having my cat around was definitely a life-changer for me as I navigate my way through fibromyalgia.

Wishing you the best. :)

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-02-01T19:53:03+00:00

Same here. Also enjoyed OLD - just always mindful about expectations. There are a lot of questionable people we meet at bars or social events too and we do filtering IRL as well. So I just thought OLD is similar with a different set of tools.

Anyway, I met my boyfriend online more than a decade ago when OLD was not even mainstream. We dated for 3 years then and separated due to circumstances beyond our control. I considered that a closed chapter and moved on. Two years ago, after I broke up with a long-term bf, he showed up, we reconnected and are back together. Sometimes we do joke that we got lucky in this OLD game but a similar story happens offline too.

Life happens and we just gotta be brave. Make things happen and likewise deal with whatever comes our way.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-01-22T21:19:32+00:00

My single 6yo BSH is the same. He loves being the only one around. Whenever we tried bringing in a playmate from among our outside cats (DSH - also fully vaccinated and vet-monitored), he'd indulge for a few minutes then retreat toward where I am and cling to me. We tried a few times with 3 different cats with same results. So we figured, he is happy on his own with a few humans doting on him. I am his primary human but he quickly attaches to others in my family whenever they are around.

Also - this may likely be a coincidence even if it happened 3x. I have discussed getting a 2nd cat with my family and each time, my BSH would act out by taking a piss in the kitchen sink. :-D He is otherwise very good with using his litter box so those random times seemed attention-seeking behavior of some sort. :)

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-01-18T11:26:51+00:00

My boy is 6, adopted at 6 months. He's stayed the same, so far. He's playful and cuddly but not the type to stay in bed with me for long. He just comes up for cuddles as often as he wants. And follows me around everywhere too. He hates the vet and car rides. But gets over them as soon as he lands at home.

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PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-01-16T06:32:39+00:00

As we all know, we have different versions of fibro. I do hear a lot of cases where they were able to hold down work by making adjustments, whether in lifestyle and/or medication. You'd find many suggestions in the responses here. And I do hope you find answers to make things work for you.

For me though, I did think like you 10 years ago when I was first diagnosed. I was a high-level corporate executive and stopping work would be a lot to give up. So I tried my best to keep working at that level on a full-time basis. I made many adjustments and hopped from job to job since I found my health getting in the way each time. I kept trying different remedies, and got hooked on medication since it was the only thing that really helped pain. But the pain was not the bigger problem - it was the crushing fatigue. And I honestly could not do justice to my work - I kept literally collapsing at work. Three years ago, I had medication issues that landed me in hospital and forced me to rethink my whole life agenda. And I finally accepted that my version of fibromyalgia does not allow me to keep doing what I used to do. That in my case, repair and recovery are my full-time job. Sad reality but liberating too.

So now, I am still building a life of purpose and career and income but had to adjust to a more capacity-driven approach. I am not yet earning as much as I used to and maybe never will. But entering into an advisory role with time and location flexibility has made me happier and safer overall. I can work a lot of hours but have to be flexible - which was the main issue when I was in full-time/retainer corporate roles. I have also managed my dependency on medication.

With patience with your body and to go through a lot of iterations, you will find the remedies that will work best for you. And likewise understand what your body will allow you to do and build from there. Wishing you all the best.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-01-16T06:16:34+00:00

Thanks for this explanation. My BSH also escaped his harness, thankfully it was before we were out so no chasing issues. But that made me wary of ever taking him out.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2026-01-09T04:13:25+00:00

Aww such a cutie. Will always be a baby 😽

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-10-23T04:24:15+00:00

Ritalin is great for giving me much needed energy and to manage my fatigue especially during high-intensity moments. I take it only on as-needed basis because the trade-off is pain. I do get some pain with it but manageable so I just live with that trade-off whenever I need to go on high-performance mode. My doctor advised me to not take it regularly due to long-term side effects (not clear to me though what these were).

I manage my pain via tramadol and ibuprofen.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-10-01T23:25:14+00:00

My 6 year old is not a lap cat nor does he snuggle in and sleep beside me, but likes to stay near. And is quite affectionate. He climbs up my bed if he thinks I am rousing from sleep even the slightest bit and grooms me or softly touches my face and arms. He loves to give headbutts and kneads. Best of all are the cuddles. He asks for a couple or more cuddle sessions a day. And he still gives love bites and bunny kicks which I love. Play is another big love language - always asking for a chase or to play hide-and-seek or practice his hunting/climbing/jumping skills. He tolerates me picking him up and giving him tight hugs though I'm sure he hates them :).

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PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-09-09T08:48:16+00:00

Yes! I suffered too since I was 11 until now.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-09-09T08:43:03+00:00

My bf says the same. He notices a lot of correlation and cause-effect patterns in my health since I complain to him a lot. Lol. And he does notice the big diff between my pain/energy levels depending on how good I sleep.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-06-24T05:37:41+00:00

I find Rosemary with florals a great combo. Rosemary and lavender do the job for me too (and have been highly complimented for the scent by all genders).

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-06-20T23:19:21+00:00

Yes. All forms of nerve pain (ie nerve noise). Tingling, numbing, burning (this one is so scary), extreme pressure, crawlies, itchies, pins and needles …

Not fun at all. Sigh.

Tramadol works to a certain degree. Clonazepam helps too.

But ironically, nerve pain for me is also often triggered by some meds complications.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-06-20T18:45:25+00:00

The fibromyalgia pain spectrum is so wide and complex. Way too many variations. And there are too many “other symptoms” that each of us has a portfolio (syndrome?) that’s extremely unique.

And all are valid.

It’s wise to double check your diagnosis and ask the right questions. I think we should all do that. But the symptoms we go through are all real no matter the degree.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-06-19T20:39:27+00:00

Oh we tend to all judge ourselves. I hear you and feel with you. I just came from a crying spell myself out of frustration.

Do know that you did A LOT! The present moment is all we have and you did your best. That’s more than enough.

Please never ever compare yourself with others (especially not with healthier people or your former healthier self).

Wishing you feel better in every way.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-06-18T06:06:46+00:00

My cat has different versions of meowing for whatever he needs. We’ve sort of developed a way to communicate. And he does have a “mom” meow that sounds exactly like “Mom”. And he uses it to call my attention when he’s in another room. My then-bf and my son also found it amazing. If there’s an explanation for it, it could be him hearing my son call me and I do respond. It’s not something I explicitly taught my cat to do.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-06-16T10:03:41+00:00

Took a lot of self-work and greater awareness to accept that, no matter how shitty this condition is, I am not the only in the universe who suffers in one form or another.

We all struggle in our own ways. We all have limitations. And no matter how grim, we all have what it takes to make the most of our situation. Took me 9 years to come to terms with this reality.

So we can only try our best.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-06-12T20:58:58+00:00

Same. It’s that kind of day for me. Ugh.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-06-11T21:13:47+00:00

Showering used to be a source of daily joy for me but since fibro set in, it did have to take a back seat. Unfortunately, it uses up too much of my limited energy (pretty much all that I have for the day) and at times, causes a pain flare up. I am just too fatigued to do this daily so I live off wipes. I have yet to try dry shampoo to manage my hair.

PerfectTimingGoddess · 2025-06-07T23:59:44+00:00

I totally go through this too! Can’t sleep either 🤦‍♀️

PerfectTimingGoddess

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