Bringing Home Your Burmese Kitten: A Thoughtful Approach for the First Week

A practical first week guide after your Burmese kitten arrives

Bringing your Burmese kitten home is a joyful moment, but for the kitten it is also a major change. Your kitten is leaving a familiar environment, the mother, littermates, familiar smells, people and daily routine. Even a well socialised, confident and curious kitten still needs calm structure, a clear environment and a gentle approach during the first days.

Our Burmese kittens are very social, affectionate and people oriented. They usually look for contact quickly, love being close to their owner and often want to be involved in everything that happens in the home. But this does not mean that moving to a new home is completely stress free for them.

Confident behaviour does not always mean complete inner calm. Sometimes a kitten looks brave, comes out of the carrier immediately and wants to explore everything, but still needs the chance to adapt gradually.

The goal of the first week is not to show the kitten the whole house immediately, introduce it to every family member at once and create as many impressions as possible. On the contrary, the best start is calmness, predictability, familiar food, familiar litter, a safe room and plenty of gentle contact without pressure.

In this guide, we explain how to handle the first hours, the first night and the first days after your Burmese kitten comes home. We also explain how to build trust, when to expand the space, how to introduce your kitten to children, dogs and other cats, and how to support a calm adaptation during the first week.

Quick tips for the first week

• Start with one calm safe room, not the whole home.
• Let the kitten come out of the carrier by itself.
• Keep the same food and litter during the first week.
• Spend a lot of calm time nearby, but do not force contact.
• Give your kitten warm, quiet resting places, especially in cold weather.
• Introduce children, dogs and resident cats gradually.
• Watch your kitten’s appetite, litter tray use, energy and general behaviour, and contact us if you are unsure.

Before your kitten arrives

Before your kitten arrives, 3 things should already be prepared.

1. Essential supplies

A carrier, litter tray, litter, bowls, food, bed, scratching post, cat tree, toys and basic care items should be prepared in advance. You can find the complete list in our article Supplies to Have When Bringing Your Burmese Kitten Home.

2. A safe room

During the first days, it is better for the kitten to stay in one calm room. This can be a bedroom or another quiet room where you can spend a lot of time with the kitten. We explain exactly how to prepare this room in our article Creating the Perfect Safe Room: How to Set Up a Stress Free Base Camp Before Your Burmese Kitten Arrives.

3. The home itself

Before your kitten arrives, you should check wires, windows, balconies, household chemicals, small objects, the washing machine, dryer, doors, plants and other household risks. For this, we have a separate guide: How to Prepare Your Home for a Burmese Kitten: Practical Pre Arrival Checklist.

This article does not repeat all of these topics in detail. Here, we focus specifically on the first week after your kitten arrives.

The main rule for the first week

The first week should be calm, predictable and without unnecessary rushing.

During the first days, you should not:

1. Show the kitten the whole home immediately
2. Let every guest hold the kitten
3. Introduce the kitten to a dog or another cat in the first hour
4. Change the food
5. Change the litter
6. Move the litter tray
7. Overload the kitten with play, children and loud sounds
8. Expect the kitten to behave like an adult cat immediately

It is better to give the kitten time to understand the space, smells, people and rhythm of the new home.

Arrival day: the first hours

When you bring your kitten home, do not open the carrier in the hallway, kitchen or in the middle of the whole home. Bring the carrier directly into the prepared safe room.

If the carrier has been placed on the floor in public places with many people, for example at an airport, or if the carrier is not new and was previously used for veterinary visits where it was placed on the floor, do not place it directly on your clean home floor without something underneath. It is better to place the carrier on a disposable pad, towel or another surface that can be removed afterwards.

If the carrier has already been placed directly on the floor, the area should be cleaned and disinfected afterwards with a pet safe product. During the first days after moving, the kitten’s immune system may be temporarily weakened by the stress of travel and change, so this extra hygiene precaution is sensible.

Place the carrier on the floor, open the door and let the kitten come out by itself. Do not pull the kitten out with your hands, even if it seems to stay inside for a while. For the kitten, the carrier is not only transport, but also a familiar safe hiding place. If the kitten wants to first observe the room from inside the carrier, that is completely normal.

Sit on the floor nearby, calmly and without sudden movements. Speak quietly. Do not reach for the kitten and do not try to pick it up immediately. It is better to let the kitten decide when to approach you. For a Burmese kitten, contact with people is very important, but the first contact should be based on trust, not pressure.

It is better to leave the carrier in the room for the first hours or even for the first days. The kitten can use it as an additional safe hiding place.

What should be in the room on the first day

The room should already contain:

1. A litter tray with familiar litter
2. A water bowl
3. Food according to our recommendation
4. A bed or soft resting place
5. A closed hideaway or small house
6. A familiar blanket from us carrying the scent of the mother and littermates
7. 1 or 2 safe toys
8. A scratching post or small cat tree
9. A place where you can sit calmly near the kitten

It is important that food, water, the litter tray and the resting area are arranged clearly and not too close to each other. The litter tray should not be placed next to food and water.

Because our Burmese kittens have no undercoat and often enjoy warmth, pay special attention to the resting area if your kitten arrives during the colder part of the year. You can place the bed near a radiator, but not directly against it, and always make sure the kitten can move away if it becomes too warm. A warm enclosed hideaway or a soft bed in a naturally warm corner of the room can also help the kitten feel comfortable and secure.

If the kitten has not found the litter tray by itself during the first hour or 2, you can calmly show where it is. It is enough to gently place the kitten inside on the litter and let it come out by itself.

Some kittens may not eat or use the litter tray during the first few hours in a new home. This can be a normal reaction to the move, new smells and new surroundings. It is important to observe the kitten’s general condition. The kitten may first inspect the room, hide a little, sleep, and only later begin to eat and use the litter tray.

Familiar scent

We hand over the kitten with a blanket or another familiar item that carries the scent of the mother, littermates and our home. This smell helps reduce stress and gives the kitten a familiar point of comfort.

Place this blanket in the bed, in the carrier or in the resting area. Do not wash it immediately after arrival. During the first days, the familiar scent is more important than perfect freshness.

Your scent will also gradually become a signal of safety for the kitten. So simply spend time nearby: sit in the room, speak in a calm voice, read, work on your laptop, and play in short sessions.

Our Burmese usually love sitting on people’s laps, but during the first hours you should not constantly pick the kitten up. Do this only if the kitten clearly shows that it wants this kind of contact. Your calm presence nearby is often more important than active handling.

Quality contact, not isolation

Our Burmese kittens are not the type of cats that usually feel comfortable being left in complete isolation for long periods. They need human contact. Therefore, a safe room should not mean that the kitten is locked alone and visited only 2 times a day.

It is better if you spend a lot of time in this room during the first days. It is especially good if the safe room is a bedroom or another room where you can be nearby in the evening and at night.

At the same time, contact should be gentle. The kitten needs a choice: to approach, move away, hide, come out again, play or sleep. This freedom of choice helps the kitten feel control and safety more quickly.

The first night

The first night can go in different ways. Our kittens are usually used to sleeping at night. Therefore, if the kitten arrives in the morning or during the day, it will most likely sleep normally at night in a place it has chosen in advance. This place may be its bed, carrier, blanket or your bed.

If the kitten arrives late in the evening, the first night may be different. It may spend part of the night exploring the room, checking new smells, the litter tray, the carrier, the bed and the people nearby. This does not necessarily mean that something is wrong. The kitten is simply in a new space and is trying to understand where it is.

Some Burmese kittens immediately lie down next to a person and sleep calmly. Others may meow a little, look for their mother and littermates, walk around the room, and check the litter tray, carrier and bed.

What matters during the first night:

1. The litter tray must be accessible
2. Water must be accessible
3. The kitten must have a hiding place
4. The room must not contain dangerous areas
5. You should not turn on bright lights and actively play at night
6. It is better not to leave the kitten completely alone for many hours

If the kitten wants to sleep close to you, this can help strengthen your bond. But be careful: the kitten is still small and may crawl under a blanket or lie in a place where it can be accidentally pressed. During the first nights, caution is important.

Day 2: calm introduction to routine

On the second day, the kitten usually understands its room better. It knows where the litter tray is, where the water is, where the food is and where it can hide.

If the kitten:

1. Eats
2. Drinks
3. Uses the litter tray
4. Shows interest in you
5. Plays at least in short sessions
6. Does not look lethargic or very frightened

you can start giving it a little more space.

But this does not mean that you should open the whole home immediately. It is better to allow short, controlled exits from the safe room. For example, you can open the door and allow the kitten to inspect the hallway or a neighbouring room under your supervision. Then calmly bring the kitten back to the safe room so it can rest.

If the kitten does not want to leave the room, do not force it. For some kittens, the second day is still too early. This is normal.

If the kitten hides on the second day, eats poorly, or you are not sure that the adaptation is going in a usual way, it is better to contact us and discuss the situation. In any case, during the first days we always stay in contact with new owners, follow how the adaptation is going and give advice when needed.

Day 3: more confidence, but still no rush

By the third day, many Burmese kittens become noticeably more confident. They may play more actively, seek contact with people, show interest in the door, the hallway and other rooms.

If everything is going calmly, you can leave the safe room door open for some time and allow the kitten to go out and return by itself. It is very important that the safe room remains its base. This is the place the kitten can return to if it is tired, frightened or wants to sleep.

Continue observing:

1. Appetite
2. Drinking
3. Stool
4. Litter tray use
5. Energy
6. General mood
7. Desire to play and interact

Days 4 to 7: building a familiar rhythm

During the second half of the first week, the main goal is to build a calm and understandable routine.

It helps the kitten if each day is organised in roughly the same way:

1. Feeding
2. Play
3. Rest
4. Time with the owner
5. Access to the litter tray
6. Gradual expansion of space

Our Burmese kittens love contact and activity, but they also need sleep. You do not need to entertain the kitten constantly. Several short, high quality play sessions during the day are better than chaotic stimulation without pauses.

A good option is 3 or 4 short play sessions during the day, about 10 minutes each. After play, the kitten can eat, groom itself and go to sleep. This rhythm helps reduce excessive excitement and supports calm behaviour.

Feeding during the first week

Do not change the food during the first week. Even if you have already chosen another high quality food, it is better to wait. Moving is already a burden for the body. If the home, smells, people, routine and food all change at the same time, this can cause digestive problems.

Use the food recommended by us, in the same form and routine the kitten is used to.

During the first week, you should not:

1. Change the food suddenly
2. Mix many different products
3. Give many treats
4. Give human food
5. Experiment with new wet food

Monitor appetite and stool. Even if you bought exactly the food we recommended, and the kitten is already used to it, a one time soft stool after moving can happen because of stress. Changing food during a stressful period can cause longer lasting diarrhoea.

Water

Fresh water must be available at all times. The bowl should be stable, clean and large enough. Change the water daily.

It is worth taking into account that, although rarely, some kittens want to eat only dry food and eat little wet food or none at all. Because of this, it is especially important to make sure that clean water is always available.

In general, however, we recommend wet food as the main and important part of the diet, because it helps provide the body with moisture in a natural way.

Litter tray

Your kitten comes to you already litter trained. But in a new home, it needs to quickly understand exactly where the toilet is.

During the first hours, show the kitten the litter tray if it has not found it by itself. The litter tray must always be accessible. Do not close the room door in a way that prevents the kitten from reaching it.

If you gradually open access to other rooms, make sure the kitten can easily return to the litter tray. While it is still young and only learning the layout of the home, you should not expect it to confidently search for the litter tray through several rooms immediately.

Play and bonding

Play is very important for a Burmese kitten. It is not only physical activity, but also a way to build a bond with the owner.

It is better to use safe toys for playing together:

1. A soft wand toy without metal parts
2. A soft ball
3. A tunnel
4. A simple fabric toy
5. A toy the kitten can physically catch

Do not use hands and feet as toys. If the kitten gets used to attacking hands, biting fingers or hunting feet, this behaviour may become a problem later.

Do not use a laser pointer as the main toy. The kitten tries to catch “prey”, but can never physically catch it. This can cause frustration and make play less natural. It is better to use toys that the kitten can actually chase, catch and hold.

If the kitten becomes too excited during play, redirect it to a toy and end the session calmly. It is important that at the end of the play session the kitten can catch something. This makes the game more natural and complete.

Getting used to care

The first week is also suitable for very gentle introduction to basic care. You do not need to actively trim claws or brush the kitten for a long time immediately. Short, calm actions are enough.

You can gradually:

1. Touch the paws
2. Gently press the paw pads
3. Show the nail clippers
4. Briefly brush the coat with a soft silicone brush
5. Calmly check the eyes and ears
6. Praise the kitten for calm behaviour

The goal is not to do everything perfectly at once. The goal is for the kitten to understand that human touch is calm, predictable and safe.

If there are no other animals or young children in the home

This is the simplest scenario. In this case, you can follow the usual plan:

1. Safe room
2. Calm human presence
3. Familiar food and litter
4. Short play sessions
5. Gradual expansion of space

Do not invite many guests during the first days. Even a social Burmese kitten can become tired from too many new people, voices and smells.

It is better to first let the kitten build contact with the main family members, and only later introduce it to friends and relatives.

If there are children in the home

Our Burmese kittens are usually well suited to families with children, if children understand the rules of handling an animal. But the first days should be calm.

Explain to children in advance:

1. The kitten must not be grabbed
2. The kitten must not be chased
3. The tail, paws or ears must not be pulled
4. A sleeping kitten must not be woken up
5. The kitten’s hiding place must not be disturbed
6. Hands and feet must not be used as toys
7. The kitten should approach by itself if it wants contact

It is better if the child first sits on the floor, speaks quietly and lets the kitten approach by itself. Use a safe toy for play, not hands.

Very important: the safe room should not be the bedroom of a young child. During the first days, the kitten needs calm adult supervision, and it may be difficult for a child not to touch the kitten too often.

Children can be involved in simple care tasks: filling the water bowl, bringing a toy, calmly watching, or helping prepare the bed. This helps build respect for the animal.

If there is a dog in the home

Many of our kittens live in homes where there is already a dog, and they usually become great friends with them quite quickly. However, the first introduction should still be gradual. Even if your dog is kind and has lived with cats before, for the kitten this is a new smell, a new sound and a new type of movement.

During the first days, the dog and kitten should be separated. They can get used to each other’s smell through the door. You can also exchange blankets or other items carrying scent.

When the kitten already feels confident in the safe room and the dog is calm, you can arrange the first visual introduction through a barrier: a baby gate, mesh or a slightly opened door.

During the first direct introduction:

1. The dog should be on a leash
2. The kitten must have an escape route
3. The kitten must have a place above floor level
4. The dog must not chase the kitten
5. Calm behaviour from the dog should be rewarded
6. The meeting should be short

If the dog becomes too excited, pulls, whines, barks or tries to chase the kitten, return to the previous step.

Cats often build contact with large calm dogs faster than owners expect. But the size of the dog does not remove the need for supervision, especially during the first days.

It is also important to organise feeding so that the kitten does not eat the dog’s food. Usually, this can be solved by raising the dog’s bowls higher on a stable metal stand or bowl holder, so the dog can eat comfortably while the kitten cannot easily reach the dog food. If the dog is a small decorative breed, the solution may be different, but the principle is the same: the kitten should have its own food, its own bowls and its own calm place to eat.

Do not leave the dog and kitten together unsupervised until you are completely sure they are calm around each other.

If there is already a cat in the home

With a resident cat, you need to be especially careful. For an adult cat, a new kitten is not only a “new friend”, but also an intrusion into its territory.

The kitten should have its own room, its own bowls, its own litter tray, its own bed and its own toys. Do not use the resident cat’s belongings for the new kitten. This can increase stress for the adult cat.

Start with scent introduction. Already on the second day, you can gradually exchange some items so that the cats get used to each other’s smell. For example, you can place the kitten’s blanket near the resident cat’s area, and an item carrying the resident cat’s scent near the kitten’s safe room.

You can also transfer scent gently with your hands or a soft cloth. Stroke the resident cat with your hand or cloth, then use the same hand or cloth to gently stroke the kitten. Then repeat the opposite direction. You can alternate this 3 or 4 times, leaving a little of the other cat’s scent on each cat’s coat. This helps them get used to each other’s presence through smell.

Later, you can allow the cats to see each other through a safe barrier: a glass door, mesh, baby gate or a small controlled gap.

Hissing during first introductions is not always a catastrophe. It can be a normal reaction of a cat to a new animal. But if there is strong tension, attempts to attack, constant chasing or intense fear, the process should be slowed down.

During the first week, try not to give the kitten too much attention in front of the cat that already lives in the home. Your resident cat should receive more attention and affection than usual. If you pet the kitten, afterwards give attention to your adult cat as well. It is better to finish the interaction with the resident cat, not with the kitten.

This is important to prevent jealousy, which can develop into conflict. Cats partly perceive people as an important resource that they do not want to lose. Your task is to show the resident cat that, with the arrival of the kitten, its place, attention and connection with you have not disappeared.

When both cats react more calmly to each other, you can begin short controlled meetings in the same room. It is important to provide:

1. Several escape routes
2. Vertical places
3. Separate resources
4. No pressure
5. Human supervision

If there are several cats in the home, introduce them to the kitten one at a time, not all at once.

Do you need Feliway or other pheromones?

In most cases, for a Royal Esprit kitten moving into a calm home without other cats, pheromones are usually not necessary. A well prepared safe room, familiar food, familiar litter, a blanket carrying the mother’s scent and calm owner behaviour usually provide enough support.

Pheromones can sometimes be useful if there is already a cat in the home. In that situation, they often help the resident cat more than the kitten, because the adult cat may be more stressed by the arrival of a new animal.

Pheromones do not replace proper gradual introduction. They are only an additional measure if they are truly needed.

When can you open the whole home?

There is no exact day that is right for every kitten. Many Burmese kittens are ready for more space between day 2 and day 5, but you should look at behaviour rather than the calendar.

The kitten is ready to explore more if it:

1. Uses the litter tray confidently
2. Eats and drinks normally
3. Plays actively
4. Shows interest in the door by itself
5. Does not hide constantly
6. Returns to the safe room to rest
7. Reacts calmly to the main sounds of the home

If the kitten is still very cautious, hides or does not want to come out, do not rush. Give it more time.

We stay in contact after your kitten moves

We always stay in contact with new owners after the kitten moves. Usually, owners send us photos and videos showing how the kitten is settling in, playing, sleeping, exploring the new home and meeting family members.

This helps us see that the adaptation is going calmly, and it gives owners the opportunity to ask any question quickly if something seems unclear. In most cases, these are not problems, but normal everyday questions during the first week: how to expand the space, when to introduce another cat, how to understand that the kitten has settled enough, how to organise feeding or where to place the litter tray.

If you have any question during the first days, it is better simply to write to us. We know our kittens well and are always ready to give advice based on your kitten’s character and your home situation.

FAQ

Can I let my Burmese kitten explore the whole home immediately?

It is better not to do this on the first day. Even a confident Burmese kitten can become tired or overwhelmed by too much space. Start with the safe room and then gradually expand access when the kitten eats, drinks, uses the litter tray calmly and shows interest in the door.

What should I do if my kitten hides after arrival?

Give the kitten time. Do not pull it out with your hands and do not force contact. Sit nearby calmly, speak softly, and leave the carrier or hiding place available. If you are not sure whether the adaptation is going normally, contact us.

Should my kitten sleep in the bedroom?

This is often a good option, especially for our Burmese kittens. They are social and usually feel better close to people. Our kittens are normally used to sleeping at night, but the first night may be different, especially if the kitten arrives late in the evening. The room must be safe, and you must be careful not to accidentally press the small kitten during the night.

Can children play with the kitten on the first day?

Contact should be very calm and short. The child should sit on the floor and let the kitten approach by itself. Children must not chase the kitten, pick it up by force, pull it, squeeze it or play with hands. It is better to use a safe toy.

When can I introduce the kitten to my dog?

Not in the first minutes after arrival. First, the kitten should get used to the safe room. Then you can begin scent exchange and visual contact through a barrier. The first direct meetings should be short, supervised, and with the dog on a leash.

When can I introduce the kitten to another cat?

Start not with a direct meeting, but with smells. The new kitten should have a separate room and its own belongings. Already on the second day, you can begin careful scent exchange using blankets, cloth or alternating gentle stroking. When both cats react calmly to the smell, you can move to visual contact through a barrier. Direct meetings should be short and supervised.

Can I change the food during the first week?

No. During the first week, it is better to stay with the food recommended by us. Moving is already stressful. Changing food during this period can cause digestive problems, especially if the change is sudden.

Is it normal if the kitten meows during the first night?

Yes, this can be normal. The kitten may be looking for its mother, littermates and familiar surroundings. Calm human presence, a familiar blanket, and access to water, the litter tray and a hiding place usually help. If the kitten arrives late, it may spend part of the first night exploring the room.

Is it normal if the kitten does not eat during the first few hours?

Yes, some kittens may not eat during the first hours after moving. They first inspect the new place and get used to smells and people. It is important that food and water are available and that the environment remains calm.

Is it normal if the kitten does not use the litter tray immediately after arrival?

Yes, during the first few hours this can be normal. Show the kitten the litter tray by calmly placing it inside on the litter and letting it come out by itself. It is important that the litter tray is easily accessible and placed in a quiet location.

Final thoughts

The first week after your Burmese kitten arrives is not a time to rush. It is a time for calm introduction, building trust and creating a clear routine.

If you prepare the safe room in advance, do not change the food or litter, allow the kitten to choose the pace of contact and gradually expand the space, adaptation usually becomes much easier.

Our Burmese kittens are social, intelligent and affectionate. With the right approach, they quickly become part of the family. But the first days set the tone for the future relationship. Calmness, patience, gentle contact and predictability will help your Royal Esprit kitten feel at home.