Why do cats bring home dead animals?

Why do cats bring home dead animals?

Cats sometimes catch and leave a "gift" for their humans. But why do cats give us dead mice, birds or other prey?

If you let your cat roam outside, it's possible that it will come home with a less than pleasant surprise – a dead bird or rodent held in its jaws.

When you get up, the cat is already there. Why are they following us at every step? Behind the behavior there is much more than mere curiosity.