Portland, OR — Camo the cat went on a wild ride as a stowaway in a box spring sold on Craigslist in Portland, but now he’s back home after a frantic 10-day search.
The story of Camo the lost cat went viral after Roy Dufek first posted about it on Reddit. In an interview with FOX 12 last week, he said the whole ordeal started when he attempted to help his girlfriend sell her bed in preparation for the couple moving into a new apartment together.
Dufek had no idea that his girlfriend’s cat had jumped inside the box spring before he sold it, according toKPTV.
Apparently the box spring was an old hiding place for Camo. Hayley Crews said she had taped it up to prevent the skittish cat from hiding in there, but she removed the tape prior to selling the bed.
At some point Camo made his move.
Crews lived in the Rock Creek neighborhood, while the buyer of the bed lived five miles away across Highway 26 near the Hillsboro airport.
The Craigslist buyer allowed the couple to search their property, but there was no sign of Camo.
Dufek and Crews said tips continued to pour in. Even though the leads led to dead ends and different cats, they continued the search.
Crews set a trap with sardines in oil and clothing with her scent near the bed buyer’s home in hopes of luring Camo. On Saturday, it worked.
Dufek confirmed to FOX 12 on Sunday that Camo was back home.
Crews had returned to the trap Saturday and found her kitty inside. The couple said Camo was “scared and hissy,” had some bumps and bruises, including torn up little paws, and had lost 2 pounds.
After a trip to the veterinarian for a thorough inspection and an antibiotic shot, Camo is now on the road to recovery.
In a post on Reddit, Dufek thanked all the people – “friends and strangers alike” – who reached out with tips and support.
