3 Answers

Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house (pub), or other location.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catering

My mother always said she wasn’t around to cater to my needs………..Catering is providing a service……...

....and to add to what ROMOS and jhharlan have posted, when catering, the caterer does and provides what the customer wants.  
For example:  We had a nice luncheon after my mom's funeral services.  We hired a Caterer to provide the food we served.  We went over menu options, what kind of tables, chairs, linens, etc. we needed.  The caterer provided ALL of it.  Even set up for our memory table (where we put pictures), complete with linen and candelabra and floral arrangement.  
When Mom caters, jhharlan can ask Mom to make her brownies and serve them hot with milk. Mom will rush to the kitchen to do exactly what her daughter wants.