A hand-drawn poster taped to the cash register at Franklin’s Grocery on Seventh Avenue reads, in blocky Sharpie: “HELP FIND SNOWBALL.” The three-month-old white kitten, a fixture behind the register and Instagram star in the making, vanished on Wednesday afternoon, setting off a neighborhood-wide search that has Park Slope at its most vigilant this weekend.

According to surveillance footage, a couple was seen calmly leaving the bodega around 2 p.m., the small kitten tucked inside a tote bag. By nightfall, word spread quickly through group chats and Slack channels, and by Thursday morning, flyers had multiplied on lampposts and coffee shop windows from Flatbush to 9th Street. “It’s unconscionable,” said Maribel Ramirez, a regular at Franklin’s, who stopped by Friday with a fresh pack of treats. “She’s part of the family here.”

The incident has drawn an outpouring of support typical of Park Slope’s tight-knit, pet-loving community. On Saturday, passersby paused to scan QR codes on missing-cat posters, while bodega owner Frank Li fielded calls from neighbors offering leads and comfort. “It’s more than a cat,” Li said. “She’s what people expect when they come in for coffee—a bit of joy.”

NYPD’s 78th Precinct has confirmed they are reviewing security footage and canvassing nearby businesses, though no updates have been released as of Saturday morning. Meanwhile, local parents walking children home from after-school programs have made a game of spotting white kittens in window displays, while high schoolers have organized a digital campaign on Instagram and TikTok, tagging possible sightings and raising awareness.

As autumn settles on Brooklyn, Snowball’s absence is a reminder of the small rituals that bind a neighborhood. For now, Park Slope waits—and watches—for its youngest bodega mascot to come home.

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