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Adorable calico cat Francine has returned to her Lowe’s Store home in Virginia after an unexpected cross-state adventure.
Francine, missing since September, was found a few weeks later traveling on a truck to a company distribution center in Garysburg, North Carolina.
Two Richmond Lowe’s employees made the 90-minute drive Monday to retrieve it. By Tuesday, she was back on duty, playing with customers, posing for photos and enjoying affection.
“Francine is one of us,” store supervisor Wayne Schneider said in a telephone interview. “He’s amazing. What he means to the store and the employees, you really can’t imagine the excitement that the employees and customers give him 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 awry in September as the store brought out merchandise for the upcoming Christmas season. The store’s general manager, Mike Sida, said the disruption may have prompted Francine to seek solace elsewhere.
When store employees did not see Francine for a few days, they reviewed previous surveillance video. There were glimpses of her in the equipment section and then in the receiving department, where she climbed into a truck. A night manager was then seen closing the door of the truck and driving to Garysburg, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) south.
“And then, of course, when she got down to the distribution center, she took off the truck,” Sida said. “That’s when we found out where she was and was missing.”
An animal control office set up humane traps at the distribution center, where photos of Francine were posted. The center had dozens of surveillance cameras, and Lowe brought in thermal drones to survey the area. One Instagram Lowe’s unrelated account dedicated to finding Francine gained more than 34,000 followers.
On Saturday, Francine was seen on camera near the distribution center. After more humane traps were set, a volunteer checked each trap overnight. Finally, a trap was triggered and Francine’s meow was heard.
Schneider and Sida got into a car early Monday morning and drove to pick up Francine.
“That ride down, knowing we were going to pick her up, was heart-touching. Knowing she’s safe and she’s coming back to the store for her two-week vacation,” Schneider said.
When Francine started living at the Lowe store more than eight years ago, she was a stray. Cats are commonly seen around food stores and garden centers, which contain large amounts of grains and seeds that can be attractive to rats and mice. In new york cityCats are beloved additions to the city’s bodegas and delis.
At the Lowe’s store, Francine “just arrived,” Sida said. “We had a little problem with rats. So, of course, I’m like, wow. I love this cat because it’s helping me.”
Lowe’s stores have no official policy regarding cats. When asked why Francine was not taken to anyone’s residence after she showed up, Sida said that the staff and the community love her.
“Francine chose us. We didn’t choose her,” Sida said. “Later, we’ll embrace her as our shop cat. But at the end of the day, she came to us. She wants to be where she is. She does what she wants.”
Unlike the Lowe’s employees, Francine does not wear a vest. She was previously fitted with several collars but survived them all. Now they plan to equip him with a harness that contains 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.