Francine the Lowe's cat, one of Richmond's most famous residents, has gone missing
This article has been updated with a statement from Lowe's.
Francine the cat, who became an unofficial mascot for Richmond after moving into a Lowe's store on Broad Street eight years ago, has been missing for the past week.
As of Sunday evening, it is believed that Francine boarded a truck bound for a Lowe's distribution facility in Garysburg, North Carolina. A group of concerned fans was planning a trip to the facility on Monday morning to attempt to find her.
Francine arrived as a stray cat, but found a home at the hardware store and has been cared for by employees since, who often field questions from customers looking to find her.
At first, Lowe's corporate office did not approve of the presence of the cat, but last year embraced her with a video.
Sunday night, a Lowe's spokesperson sent this statement to The Richmonder:
"We are pet lovers at Lowe's, and Francine holds a special place in our hearts," it read. "She is a local celebrity in Richmond and dearly loved by everyone in the community, from our customers to our store associates. We are grateful for the outpouring of support we have received this past week from people who love her as much as we do.
"The store team had Francine microchipped to help in case of a situation like this, and we are doing all we can to locate her. Our goal is to see our beloved Francine back in the store soon, safe and in good health. We thank everyone for keeping an eye out. If anyone sees her, we urge them to contact the store."
Francine's fame is particularly notable on Richmond's Reddit page, which often features photos of her.
News of her disappearance dominated the site over the weekend.
FRANCINE IS MISSING
by u/Mr_P3anutbutter in rva
The search effort is likely Richmond's largest since Bagel the beagle went missing in 2016.
Contact Michael Phillips at mphillips@richmonder.org.
Rich Griset
