In captivity, tigers eat considerably less because of sedentary life styles that burn fewer calories (Hines). Captive large cats should eat 9-18 pounds of meat (4-6% of their body weight) when fed five times a week.
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To meet our big cats' needs, we feed them three diet items: whole rabbits, which are a good substitute for the skin and organs of large prey; ground meat, representing the muscle tissue of a kill; and bones, which help our cats maintain strong jaw pressure and clean their teeth.
The Smithsonian's National Zoo's lions eat ground beef, which is commercially produced to meet the nutritional needs of carnivores. Twice a week, they receive knucklebones or beef femurs, and once a week they receive rabbits, which exercise the cats' teeth and jaws. Lions are the world's most social felines.