Firstly congratulations on showing such compassion and offering this stray kitten a home. Like any good parent, you are right to factor in the safety and well-being of your children first when making a decision to adopt a stray animal.

The first thing you must do is have the kitten vet checked. While living on the streets, animals can pick up many diseases and conditions. They also could be intolerant of children or all people in general. Do not allow your kids near the animal before visiting the vet.

The vet will be able to tell you if the animal needs special care, has any contagious diseases or is not of a suitable temperament to be in a home with children. In relation to stray kittens here in the UAE, you definitely want your vet to check it over for signs of ringworm (a contagious fungal skin infection) and also to de-worm your cat as cat roundworms can cause blindness in kids. Thankfully the UAE is rabies free.

Lastly, don’t forget the importance of working with your children when bringing a stray into the family. Your kids need to pass the friendliness test when it comes to the animal's well-being. This can help prevent future unfortunate events. Also since most transmissible diseases in animals are spread from accidental ingestion of faecal material, don’t forget to re-enforce hygiene rules for kids and pets – always wash your hands after petting!

Our advisor is Dr Rachel Shaw, associate veterinarian at the American Veterinary Clinic Abu Dhabi, a full service vet clinic where pets come first 02 665 5044.