Roy Dufek's girlfriend still plans to move in with him, but accidentally selling her cat of five years was not an auspicious start to the new phase of their relationship.

Camo, which his girlfriend had raised from a kitten, was hiding in his usual spot when upset -- inside a hole in the box spring. So, when Dufek sold the mattress for $100, the buyer also carried out a stowaway Camo.

Portlanders are taking to the Internet and streets to help the couple recover Camo, after Dufek posted his predicament on Craigslist and Reddit.

Last week, Dufek decided to help his girlfriend by selling her two beds while she was at work. He sold the first one, and an hour later, he was hanging out with Camo at the apartment when someone contacted him about the second.

Dufek helped the buyer carry out the mattress and box spring and strap them to the car, and then hurried back inside to check on Camo before he left.

But he couldn't find Camo anywhere.

If you see Camo

Call Roy Dufek at 503-395-8825, or email at roydufek@gmail.com

The cat will likely be in the areas around the Hillsboro Airport or Rock Creek, Highway 26/Cornelius Pass Road

The Northridge Apartments in Rock Creek, northwest of Beaverton, require you to walk through two sets of doors to leave, so Dufek was puzzled how Camo could get out undetected. He didn't see or trip over the cat while hauling out the bed.

He learned then that his girlfriend spruced up the box spring in preparation for sale by removing the tape that covered a hole Camo liked to crawl into to hide. Underbed boxes made it impossible for Camo to do that when the box spring was still being used, so Dufek didn't think to check the hole for stray cats before selling the mattress.

The man who bought the mattress let Dufek and his girlfriend search his property and put a cat trap in his garage, but hasn't seen or heard from Camo, except for a few weird noises when he was strapping the box spring to his car.

It seems most of Portland is also willing to help.

Dufek posted on Craigslist and Reddit, and people quickly sympathized with him. Comments and emails poured in, and he is updating the Reddit thread as the search continues.

"We're so incredibly thankful that anyone would care about our cat," Dufek said.

After a tip from one redditor, they rented a thermal camera from Home Depot to search where eyes might miss something. They found two bunnies and two birds, but no Camo.

Although the irony of the situation might have endeared him to Internet detectives, Dufek and his girlfriend are hoping to also be able to find humor in the situation eventually.

"We're hoping to laugh at it pretty soon. We're keeping light about it," Dufek said on the phone from Phoenix.

His girlfriend was supposed to fly down with him at the same time, but stayed a few days longer to search for Camo, and be present in case someone found him.

A few neighbors have reported cat sightings, but nothing tangible yet.

"People have told us stories of their cat that was gone a few months, or a month, and found the way home. So that gives us hope," Dufek said. "The only issue is we don't live at that apartment anymore."

They return Saturday to their new apartment. Dufek was forgiven quickly by his girlfriend, but she will certainly grieve the missing member of their home -- and her most consistent companion of the past five years.

"She calls me every day and it's just silence," Dufek said. "It just breaks my heart. I can't even imagine, you know."

If you have information about Camo, call Dufek at 503-395-8825. He is keeping his phone charged at all times. They are offering $100 -- the price of the bed -- for Camo's return.

-- Molly Harbarger