Another half-baked plan formed as he stared at a coiled garden hose. What if he sprayed the ground near the cat to drive it back? But the idea of turning water into icy patches made him quickly reconsider.
The last thing he needed was to create a slippery hazard in the freezing cold. Alan felt the frustration mounting. Each idea seemed to fall short, either impractical or potentially harmful. The snow was coming down harder now, swirling in fierce gusts that stung his skin.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and steadied himself against the rising tide of panic. There had to be a way to do this. Alan stared out the window, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
He knew he needed a different approach. He looked at the cat again, studying its matted fur and thin body. The cat looked frail and weak, shivering uncontrollably in the brutal cold. An idea flickered in his mind—maybe he could lure the cat with food.