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Closely related to the deviant hypothesis is the hypothesis that cattle mutilations are the result of cult activity.

Unlike the deviancy hypothesis, which holds that cattle are mutilated at random by individual deviants, proponents of the cult hypothesis hold that cattle mutilations are coordinated acts of ritual sacrifice that are being carried out by an organized group.

Cult hypothesis vary, but tend to follow the similar lines to the non-natural causes hypothesis. This includes the belief that reports of organs being removed without damage to the surrounding area, that 'inedible' flesh has been stripped from the from the neck and jaw while 'edible' flesh on the rest of the body is untouched, and the presence of precise incisions that appear to have been made by a knife, indicate that the animal was mutilated by human hands and not predated upon.

Proponents of this hypothesis often extend it to all animal mutilations, including those of horses and family pets, and often see them as variations of the same phenomena.

Beliefs held by proponents of the cult hypothesis may also include:

• That mutilations are tied to phases of the moon or related to certain days of the week that hold Pagan symbolism relating to fertility (See Horse Ripping).
• That the apparent absence of blood at mutilation sites may indicates cult members have been drinking it ^[1]
• That organs have been removed from cattle for use in rituals [1]
• That cults have harvested unborn calves from mutilated cattle

The latter of these beliefs has been fueled by reports from investigating organizations, such as the NIDS, which indicate that some mutilated cattle were pregnant prior to their death, but that no calf or sign or birth/miscarriage were found.

"The blood progesterone levels were high, but by themselves were not conclusive of pregnancy, since progesterone levels are known to cycle during estrus. Therefore, a second confirmatory blood test was ordered-Pregnancy Specific Protein B (PSPB). The blood PSPB test was also positive. Since PSPB is only made by the placenta, which itself is only present during pregnancy, the combination of the two tests shows that the animal was pregnant at or close to the time of death. Yet, there was no fetus present. The half life (clearance from blood) of progesterone following spontaneous abortion is relatively rapid (approx. 24 hours). This indicates that if the animal did spontaneously abort, it did so very close to the time of death. The NIDS investigators examined the rear of the animal for traces of bodily fluids that might indicate a recent abortion (according to the owner, the animal should have been approx. 90 days pregnant) but found no traces of blood/bodily fluids that might indicate this."

[www.nidsci.org/pdf/finalreport.pdf | Report on an Investigation of the unexplained death of a cow in N.E. Utah], October 16, 1998"

The hypothesis that cattle mutilations in the US are the result of cult activity is partially supported by the existence of numerous cases in which smaller animals have been mutilated by suspected cult members [2] [3] or copycats, and from countries like Britain, where symbols relating to fertility cults have been found at the sites of farm animal mutilations [4], and signs of cult rituals have been confirmed by animal welfare officers [5].

The possibility that cult may be behind cattle mutilations was the subject of a federal investigation during the 1970s.

In 1975, the US Treasury Department assigned Donald Flickinger to investigate the existence of connections between cults and the mutilation of cattle ^[2] [6] (Page 23). The operation came under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Flickinger was unable to find sufficient evidence of cult involvement for further action to be deemed necessary. Media reports of the time claimed that his investigation was dropped once it was determined that cattle deaths were not a prelude to a co-ordinated campaign against elected officials by cult members [7] (Page 23).

The cult hypothesis features in Montana author Roberta Donovan's 1976 publication "Mystery stalks the prairie" in which she documents the experiences of Deputy Sheriff Keith Wolverton of Great Falls, Cascade County, during a rash of cattle mutilations that took place in Montana in the Mid-1970s.

In her book, Donovan cites several cases which she believes are cult related.

In one case, Donovan writes that a local sheriff's office in California received reports that a group of people wearing hooded robes were seen chanting in an unidentified location. She reports that officers who were dispatched to the site found the charred remains of an animal that may have been ritually sacrificed.

In a second case, Donovan writes about the discovery of an alleged ritual site located near an area that had suffered from cattle mutilations.

According to Donovan, Wolverton and a Deputy named Ken Anderson investigated the site on April 14 1976, and confirmed the presence of multiple cult symbols and inscriptions at the site.

"The stone with the inscription of "ISIS favor us! Mother of moon lover of goodness", is resting on the roots of one of the trees."

Keith Wolverton

Donovan speculates that witting and symbols found at the site were linked to an ancient Greek/Roman cult that originated in Egypt which was symbolized by the cow, and to the Egyptian deity Isis who represented wifes, mothers and fertility in Egyptian culture^[1] (Page P23).

Donovan's book states that the Isis cult was believed to have engaged in ritual animal mutilation.

Neither Donovan nor Wolverton were able to reach any firm conclusions as to whether cults were responsible for cattle mutilations in Montana.

There are three primary criticism of the cult hypothesis.

Consistency

Historically, Animal sacrifices carried out by cults and other groups have been ritualized, and usually take the form of ceremonies that are carried out in an similar manner over a sustained period of time. In contrast to this, no consistent pattern has so far been detected in the cattle mutilation phenomena.

According to an NIDS survey, carried out over 50 states, mutilation of the eye only occurs in 58 percent of cases, while mutilation of the tongue and lower jaw only occur in 42 and 22 percent of cases respectively. The most consistent mutilations - the removal of the anus and/or female genitals - occur in only only in 3/4 of cases.

Opportunity

Cattle mutilations date back at least to the 1960s, and have been reported in every region of the US. Official estimates, made in 1979, put the number of mutilations at 8,000.

In order to achieve this coverage, a cult would require a large membership and supporting infrastructure which would be difficult to conceal from authorities. So far, two independent federal investigations into cattle mutilations (one of which exclusively investigated the cult hypothesis) have failed to produce evidence that such a membership or infrastructure existed.

Mutilations have also been reported globally. A cult would have to have branches around the world, or members with the means and opportunity to travel, in order to carry them out.

Means

Necropsy results sometimes show anomalies in mutilated animals, including the presence of unexplained compounds, unusual levels of the chemicals that are naturally found in a cow's body, or indications that mutilated animals have been exposed to unknown forces or procedures (See Common Criticisms of the Natural Causes Hypothesis).

How and why a cult would perform procedures that result in these anomalies remains unknown.

The cult hypothesis has become a low level social phenomena in the US, and there have been several panics caused by claims that cattle mutilations were conducted as a 'warm up' to human sacrifices or that cults were planning to progress onto human mutilations. In one case, it was concluded that these claims had been have been falsified by a convict seeking favorable terms on his sentence in exchange for information [8] (Page 23-24) ^[1] (Page 14-15). In another case, claims were traced back to local high school students who had circulated rumors as a joke ^[1] (Page 21).

To date, no physical evidence has ever been found to directly link any cult or cult member to the cattle mutilation phenomena in the US, no cult member has ever been convicted for mutilating cattle, and no cult has ever claimed responsibility for the mutilations.

One of the best known proponents of this hypothesis is Colorado based television evangelist Bob Larson, who has campaigned to raise public awareness of links between cattle mutilations and cult activity for many years.

Larson's has many supporters among his fraternity, but his attempts to link cult activities and cattle mutations have earned him detractors among both proponents and non-proponents of the mutilation phenomena.

Larson's detractors accused him of 'progressively enhancing' his hypothesis in order to fit new information about cattle mutilations and have suggested that he many be suffering from true-believer syndrome.

Claims against Larson can be said to have peaked after he suggested that cult members were using sophisticatedly equipment, such as extendable cranes and platforms slung underneath helicopters, to ensure that they could carry out a mutilation without leave footprints, or other physical evidence, at the scene.

No evidence exists to prove Larson right or wrong.

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Mystery Stalks the Prairie (1976), Donovan Roberta, Wolverton Keith, ASIN B0006WH8CA
2. ^ Clark J, Pear N (1997), "Strange and unexplained phenomena", Visible Ink Press

http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2002/2002lewisc.pdf Page 35 report on Flickinger [[9]] http://www.meta-religion.com/Paranormale/UFO/cattle_mutilations.htmhttp://www.krem.com/news/local/stories/krem2_081706_sataniccats.cabc310.html pet killing