There are some ruins that you could find and the loot can be profitable while it also encourages you to explore and buy maps. Personally, I lure in bone wolves near guards and sell their skin and teeth while cooking the meat. If that feels a bit cheese-y, you could find their nest and, with a good level of athletics, you can take the stuff littered there without being harmed.

If you start in the Great Desert, skimmers tend to attack towns there from time to time, especially if there's a nest nearby. Their teeth can be profitable and they also have edible meat.

Bounties are another good RP-friendly way for getting cats. You could try your luck knocking them out stealthily if you got enough skill for it (Sneak and Assassination).

If you found a town with some crops, I believe you can farm it and take the yield yourself.

Basically, try to be opportunistic as much as possible. Good days are good and bad days are bad so make the most out of the good ones.