I totally hear you - it alsmost sounds like we had the same experience.
I'm not that keen on cats, tbh - I'm a dog person! We have strays around here sniffing around and pooing in the garden which annoys me, but I do appreciate that they hunt the mice around - though I get pissed off when they kill native birds!
Yes, that's one of the things about cats, they're vicious hunters. When we moved in the house we are staying in now, there was a cat (not the same stray) who left a dead something with missing heads for us weekly. It freaked me out. Someone told me they leave them behind as presents.
EVIL