Watch: UAE resident rescues heat-stricken kitten from Sharjah bridge

Sharjah: As temperatures across the UAE climb towards summer levels earlier than usual this year, a simple act of compassion on a roadside bridge in Sharjah has captured the hearts of thousands across the country.

A resident travelling near Sharjah Airport spotted what she initially thought was an object lying on the side of a bridge. Something about the scene prompted her to take a second look.

"I thought I saw something on the side of the bridge as I was passing the airport, but I wasn't sure what I had seen," she recalled in a video documenting the rescue.

Curious and concerned, she parked her car and made her way back on foot to investigate.

What she found was not debris or rubbish, but a small kitten struggling under the scorching sun.

"So I decided to park my car, walk to the other side of the bridge and check," she said.

The kitten, frightened and exhausted, was in no mood to accept help.

"As soon as he saw me, it started to run away from me."

What followed was a 20-minute chase under the scorching heat, with temperatures reaching around 38°C.

"After 20 minutes of chasing him in 38-degree heat, we were both out of breath and suffering from what I can only describe as heat exhaustion," she said. "This little one was not happy that I had come to help it. It continued to struggle and even tried to nip me."

Eventually, she managed to secure the kitten and carry it to safety.

Once inside her vehicle, her first priority was cooling it down.

"As soon as I got into the car, I turned the air conditioning on full and started hydrating the little one."

The video shows the woman carefully offering water directly from a bottle. The kitten appeared severely dehydrated, eagerly lapping up the water and drinking with remarkable urgency.

She then remembered she had tuna paste treats in her bag.

"Luckily, I had some tuna paste treats with me, so I sat his little bum on the steering wheel and quickly offered him something to eat."

Gradually, the kitten's condition began to improve. Its breathing slowed, its energy returned and the fear that had initially driven it away started to fade.

After cooling down, it became noticeably calmer.

"After it had cooled down, it was much more friendly and quickly started purring," she said.

The resident later took the kitten home, where she continued caring for it while monitoring its recovery.

The kitten, now safe and recovering, has one remaining challenge.

"I need a name for this little one," the woman said.