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Hayley Crews combs Camo after giving him a good bath and a checkup with a veterinarian.

(Roy Dufek)

Camo, the cat who hid in a box spring that got sold, strapped onto a car and driven away, is back home after roaming on his own for 10 days.

"WE FOUND CAMO!!!" Roy Dufek wrote Sunday in an email to friends and media.

Camo came home about two pounds thinner. He immediately started cleaning himself up and luxuriating in his favorite haunts.

After a woman reported seeing Camo in the area of the Hillsboro Airport, Dufek and his girlfriend, Hayley Crews, the cat's owner, set up a live trap Saturday night, baited with sardines and a piece of clothing from their apartment. Ninety minutes after setting the trap, Crews and a friend came back by the trap and found a very agitated Camo hissing inside.

Crews immediately called Dufek. She was "just losing it," Dufek said, and the tears were contagious.

On Sunday, Dufek and Crews sent a note of thanks to everyone who helped – and there were many.

"We can't ever repay or say thank you enough to all the people that spent their cherished holiday time, and resources to help us bring Camo home. It was quite emotional last night, we're in shock of this whole experience, and have been holding him tight! It's been quite the ride and we couldn't possibly formulate the words to describe how grateful we are for all the people who have reached out to us for suggestions, help, stories, comfort, and information. It's the best feeling in the world to know friends and strangers alike have had our back in time of need, and to have him back safe and recovering. We can't even imagine what's he's been through in a week and half running wild near the country side especially in this weather. Today is a great day!"

Dufek said Camo had lost about two pounds and was a mess. He had a cut lip, several broken nails, bleeding paws and a partially closed eye but no serious injuries.

"He spent the night getting up several times eating and drinking and was taken to the vet this morning. The vet gave him an antibiotic shot, a good inspection. .... Hayley gave him a bath and he's been cleaning himself vigorously since. All is good."

While Camo was missing, the far-fetched story of the mattress stowaway spread online, through the media and posters in the neighborhood of the mattress buyers. Dufek fielded hundreds of calls about possible Camo sightings from all over the Portland area and as far as Michigan.

In all, the cat traveled 6 or 7 miles from their home in the Rock Creek area of Hillsboro, Dufek said, and most of that was riding inside the box spring on top of a car.

Crews adopted Camo as a kitten five years ago. Camo used to like to hide in a hole in her box spring when he was upset. Dufek didn't know that, though, because Crews had taped over the hole and shielded it with boxes when she was using the box spring.

So, when Dufek tried to be a helpful boyfriend and sell her bed while she was at work, he neglected to check for felines in the box spring.

He realized his mistake minutes after helping the buyer strap the bed to the roof of a car. But by then, Camo was off on his unexpected adventure.

Reporter Molly Harbarger contributed to this story.