I'm a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon and I'm trying to figure out how to take care of my new kitten without any access to cat food or litter or anything I'm used to having. catcare

I had a cat as a kid, and I was thinking about getting a cat here for companionship and pest control, but I thought I'd have some time to research before actually taking the plunge. And then a friend of mine in the neighborhood to whom I'd mentioned that I might want a cat showed up tonight with a little kitten. And I just couldn't say no. (Like, I didn't want to, but it also would have been completely culturally unacceptable to say no, since he's the son of the local chief.)

So now I have a cat, in a country where they don't sell cat food or litter boxes or anything like that. And the internet key I'm using is too slow for me to sift through all the cat care advice that assumes you're in a country where you can buy those things, so I'm hoping I can get linked to some advice about how to feed a cat using whole foods. Fish is super common here, but I'm vegetarian and I don't have a refrigerator, so if I buy a fish, a lot will go to waste. I can get little tinned fish; would that be okay to feed him? Can I feed him rice? That's what the neighbor who brought him to me advised. I'm planning on setting up a cardboard box with plastic lining and dirt inside for his litter box. And the neighbor's going to find out his age from the guy he got him from, but I'm sure he's at least six weeks old, probably closer to eight, so I'm going to make an appointment pretty soon to get him vaccinated in the regional capital, but does anyone have any advice on caring for him healthwise until I can get him to a vet? Flea prevention advice would be particularly helpful.

I'm sure I seem super irresponsible, getting a cat almost on a whim like this, but I was in a tough position. And I'm sure I can take good care of him, I just need to figure some things out first. Part of my reason for making this decision is having seen, throughout training and my first weeks at site, how poorly most animals are treated. I know I'm unprepared, but I'll still take better care of him than most people do for their pets here.

Sorry for the super broad question. Any and all advice, even/especially if it comes in the form of links to previous posts in this subreddit or useful information elsewhere on the net, will be much appreciated. Thanks!

Submitted December 07, 2014 at 01:25AM by EpiceEmilie http://ift.tt/12OgvVT catcare