‘Francine picked us. We didn’t pick her’: Lowe’s in Virginia welcomes back beloved store cat who vanished a month ago, found in another state
Calico cat Francine has returned to her home at a Lowe’s store in Virginia after disappearing for a few weeks, boarding a truck that showed up at a sister facility in another state.
Two Lowe’s employees in Richmond drove 90 minutes early Monday to pick up Francine, who went missing in September and was recently discovered at the company’s distribution center in Garysburg, North Carolina.
She was back at work Tuesday, playing with customers, posing for photos and showering her with affection.
“Francine is one of us,” store supervisor Wayne Schneider said in a phone interview. “She’s truly amazing. What she means here to the store and the staff, you can’t really imagine the outpouring the staff and customers give her every day.”
Francine spends most of her time either at the customer service desk or in the seasonal area of the store. But things went wrong in September, as the store brought in merchandise for the upcoming Christmas season. The turmoil may have prompted Francine to seek comfort elsewhere, said the store’s general manager, Mike Seda.
After store employees didn’t see Francine for a few days, they reviewed previous surveillance video. There were glimpses of her in the hardware section and then the receiving section, where she bolted to a truck. A manager was then seen overnight closing the truck door and driving off to Garysburg, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) to the south.
“And then, of course, when I got to the distribution center, I shot the truck,” Seda said. “That’s when we found out where she was and she was missing.”
The Animal Control Bureau set up humane traps at the distribution center, and pictures of Francine were posted everywhere. The center had dozens of surveillance cameras, and Lowe brought in thermal drones to survey the area. A non-Lowe’s Instagram account dedicated to finding Francine has grown to more than 34,000 followers.
On Saturday, Francine was seen on camera near the distribution center. After setting more humane traps, a volunteer checked each trap throughout the night. Finally, one of the traps was triggered and Francine’s meow was heard.
Schneider and Seda got into the car early Monday and drove to get Francine.
“That trip, knowing that we were going to make it, was heartwarming. Knowing that she was safe and that she was going to be back at the store to finish her two-week vacation,” Schneider said.
Francine was lost when she started living at Lowe’s more than eight years ago. It is common to see cattails around feed stores and garden centers, which contain large amounts of grains and seeds that can be attractive to mice and rats. In New York City, cats are a popular item in the city’s delis and delis.
Seda said Francine “just showed up” at Lowe’s. “We’ve had a bit of a rat problem. So, of course, I like that. I like this cat so much because it helps me.”
Lowe’s does not have an official policy regarding cats in stores. Asked why Francine was not moved to someone’s home after her appearance, Seda said she was loved by the staff and the community.
“Francine chose us,” Seda said. “We didn’t choose her.” “Later on, we accepted her as our shop cat. But at the end of the day, she came to us. Where she is is where she wants to be. She does what she wants.”
Unlike Lowe’s employees, Francine doesn’t wear a jacket. She had previously been fitted with several collars but had survived them all. Now they plan to equip her with a belt with identifying information.
A local brewery will host a “Francine Fest” community event on Wednesday to celebrate homecoming, while the store is planning its own team party.
2025-10-08 14:17:00
