It is wise to register with a local veterinary practice, particularly one who specialises in working with small animals and understands pedigree cats. Burmese are generally very healthy but if you are already registered it is easier to arrange an appointment if you need one. In any event, you will need to ensure that your kitten’s vaccinations are kept up to date on an annual basis.

Some vets offer free initial check ups, which are very worthwhile but may be best avoided for the first few days until the kitten has settled as the journeys and examinations could be stressful.

We strongly recommend that male kittens are neutered, as keeping them entire is almost certain to induce behavioural problems. The only exception is if a cat is going to be kept as a stud but this is strictly for very experienced owners only. Unless you are planning to have a litter with a female, you should always have her spayed too, as you will find “calling”, the loud noise made when a female cat is in season, and the consequent desire to escape, to be very difficult to deal with indeed.

Neutering is a very straightforward operation and your kitten should recover very quickly. Your vet will advise you when it should be done, usually at about six months. Females can come into season before that and, if this happens, the safest thing to do is to shut her up quietly in a room. It’s easy to make the mistake of fussing and cuddling her as that will only make her worse. Seek help from your vet who might give you a prescription or even suggest neutering her when she comes out of call if she’s nearly six months old. Female kittens should not normally be spayed while they are in season.

We strongly recommend that your kitten should be microchipped at the same time.