Meet your Galway celebrity – the 2024 Nose of Tralee Runner Up Dougie.
Name: Dougie Three Legs
County: Galway
Age: 4
Breed: Little Connemara Field Cat
Special Skill: Tapping my Daddy on the head to let him know I’m interested in sharing his dinner!
Favourite Food: Chicken, sausages, porridge, anything my daddy is eating! (Mummy is a vegetarian, so her food is much less interesting!)
Favourite Toy: String toy! I like to jump and tumble around after it!
Favourite Place to Sleep: Depends on the time of day: Day/early evening: Mummy’s lap. Night time: Daddy’s lap.
Favourite Activity: I enjoy being brought for a lovely walk in my special cat pram! I only have three legs, so I’m an inside only boy, unless I’m out with my Mummy and Daddy on my harness, or in my pram. I enjoy sniffing all the smells beside the sea and in the forest, and I also enjoy the smiles and nice words that people have for me when they pass by and see me in my pram! In the winter, my daddy makes me a hot water bottle for my pram so I don’t get chilly!
Favourite Place To Go For A Walk/Hangout: Mummy and Daddy bring me to walk in the woods and down by the river in Dangan in Galway city, or to enjoy the breeze and seaside sniffs down the Prom in Salthill.
Most Mischievous Thing You Have Ever Done? WELL. There might be a few instances of mischeviousness here or there. (Or more than a few!) Some stand out events are the time I nibbled the corner of the vinyl record that was my Mummy’s first ever gift to my Daddy. And also, I waited for my daddy to get some really nice brand new speakers, and during some evening zoomies, I jumped on them and kicked the “tweeter” in! Oopsy!!
How Did You Come Into Your Owners Life? My Mummy and Daddy found me when they found out from their landlord that they could finally get the cat they had wanted for many years! So they looked on the website of Renvyle Cat and Dog Rescue in Connemara, and there I was! I was wearing a cone and my scars from my recent surgeries were still visible, and they knew the instant they saw me! They said “There’s our Boy!”. So they rang up the rescue, and spoke to Babs, and very very soon I was coming home to my forever home! Little did I know I was destined to be the most loved little three-leggy none-tail boy in the entire universe! We are the happiest family ever now!
What Makes You The Most Pawtastic Pet Ever! Well, firstly, let’s get it out of the way – I’m incredibly handsome. Just gorgeous. A beautiful, shiny, handsome, perfect boy. I give AMAZING kisses. I am a brilliant lap warmer. I taste test all the yummy foods in the house. I can be very chatty. I am a very experienced nurse, because I’m helping my Mummy recover from her recent stroke. And, did I mention, I’m gorgeous?
Why Did You Decide To Enter The Nose Of Tralee? My Mummy and Daddy decided to enter me into the Nose of Tralee competition because they think (correctly) that I’m the absolute best little guy in the whole world and they wanted other people to know it too! I would like to raise awareness for little guys like me, who might be missing some limbs here and there, but who have so much love to give, and would make amazing companions. Sometimes a little guy might be overlooked because they are different, and I’m here to ask people to think twice, and consider the little cat, or dog, or bunny, or bird, or lizard, or ANYTHING that might be a little different, but still perfect! Like me!
How Did You Prepare For The Contest And Get Votes? I am very, very lucky to have the support of my ARMY of dedicated and loving and supportive friends on Twitter! They helped me so very much! They were behind me every step of the way, voting for me, encouraging me, and spreading the word about the Nose of Tralee competition all over the world! I could not have done it without my dear Twitter family, and I am forever grateful to them!
What Did You Enjoy Most About The Nose Of Tralee? I absolutely loved getting to know the other Noses! It was so lovely to see all those little cuties, and to learn about them and their stories! I’m lucky to know them all! Another thing I really enjoyed about taking part in the Nose of Tralee competition is the absolutely overwhelming amount of love that I got! I still am in shock that a little three-leggy none-tail boy who was born in a field in the connemara has touched the hearts of so many people across the world. It’s amazing, and everyone has made little old me feel extremely loved!
What Advice Would You Give To The Next Nose Of Your County? To the next Galway Nose, I would say HAVE FUN!! Enjoy every second, enjoy the inevitable treats that will come along with every photo shoot. Learn about the other Noses, and why they are all wonderful. And always remember: GAILLIMH ABÚ !!
How Are You Handling Your New-Found Fame? I’m absolutely loving it! I’ve been getting extra rubs, cuddles, belly rubs, ear scratches, extra treats, it is brilliant! I’m having the best craic ever! My Mummy and Daddy tell me at least a million times a day about how proud they are of me, and that I’m a handsome, beautiful, good boy! 10/10 – would recommend!
If You Could Be Any Super Hero Who Would You Be? Maybe not your typical super hero – but he is in my house: I would be Captain Jean Luc Picard, from the USS Enterprise, and I would explore space with my Mummy and Daddy, and have adventures, and meet lots of new friends!
Where Can Your Fans Follow You Online? I have my very own account on Twitter, my name there is @DougieThreeLegs.
What does it mean to you to be the Runner Up of the Nose of Tralee? To be named the Runner Up of the Nose of Tralee 2024, has been an absolute honour. We are still in shock over here in my house (but not so shocked that I can’t eat the celebratory treats!!) There were tears of joy all around when we found out that I am the Runner Up. It is incredible. And, I believe that I am the first cat in the history of the Nose of Tralee competition to be Runner Up! That is absolutely amazing, and I am absolutely thrilled! Every single one of the other Noses were incredible, cute, funny, and absolutely adorable, so to be included with them has been a dream come true. I’m so grateful to have had this wonderful adventure, and to have had the opportunity to meet these wonderful pets and their humans! It is an experience that me, my Mummy and my Daddy will treasure forever! THANK YOU NOSE OF TRALEE! And huge congratulations to the Winner, the gorgeous teddy bear Niko! He looks like he gives wonderful hugs and I bet we would have very cosy naps together!
Lots of love, your three-leggy none-tail Runner Up – Dougie
Kate McQuillan is the co-founder of Pet Sitters Ireland, an award-winning pet sitting and dog walking company established in 2010 with her husband, Michael. Together, they support thousands of pet owners across Ireland with trusted, in-home pet care. With over 14 years of experience, Kate shares practical advice to help pet owners feel confident and prepared when it comes to their pet’s care.
