Cattle mutilation refers to the unexplained killing and disfigurement of livestock — primarily cattle — in which the animals are found with specific organs and tissues removed with what appears to be surgical precision, with no blood at the scene and no tracks or signs of predators. The phenomenon has been reported primarily across the American West since the late 1960s, with hotspots in Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Oregon, and Alberta, Canada. Typical characteristics include the removal of eyes, ears, tongue, lips, genitals, and rectum; circular incisions that appear cauterized rather than torn; complete absence of blood in and around the carcass; and the avoidance of the carcass by scavengers and predators for days after discovery. Some ranchers have reported unusual helicopter activity, strange lights, and unidentified aircraft in the areas prior to discovering mutilated animals.
The phenomenon has generated multiple investigations at the federal and state level, been attributed to causes ranging from natural predation and scavengers to satanic cults, secret government testing, and extraterrestrial activity, and remains one of the most persistent and polarizing mysteries in American paranormal research.