Since cats can’t speak for themselves, a group of Canadian researchers have taken it upon themselves to speak for them. And they’re saying we feed our feline pets wrong.

Animal nutrition specialists at Ontario’s University of Guelph have determined that feeding a cat one large meal a day makes them feel more satisfied than several smaller meals do. That’s because cats who eat one big meal produce more appetite-regulating hormones, the researchers say in a study published in the journal “PLOS One.” They also burn fat more easily and produce more protein to help them build muscle, according to the study.

“These findings may surprise the veterinary community and many cat owners who have been told their animals need several small meals a day,” says lead author Adronie Verbrugghe.

How often do you feed your cat? What’s your cat’s strangest habit?