[Bailey_]

My family and I have recently decided to bring home a new cat into our family. We've narrowed our search down to two reputable rescues, and are looking for a cat suited to these requirements:

Good with dogs and other cats, good with children, about 2-5 years old. Gender doesn't make a difference.

But I have some questions, and I'd like some advice to help us make the new kitties transition (once we decide on the cat) a little easier into our home.

We have two dogs and a cat. How can we ensure that the newcomer won't be stressed out by this living environment? How can we ensure that our current pets won't be stressed out?
My cat that we have now was adopted by us when she was only 12 weeks old, so I'm unsure of how to approach this with an adult cat.

I have a female cat now. Would it be better to bring home another female, or does it matter?

There are a few cats at one SPCA we're looking at that have been declawed previously. I'm hesitant about bringing one of these cats home because I wouldn't want to put it in a home with an unfair advantage (with a cat that has all her claws and two dogs with a bit too much eagerness to say hello).

Any advice/help/suggestions to make this transition easier and to help us narrow our search will be appreciated!!!