That long, silky hair that you love on your cat can quickly turn into a nightmare for both you and your cat. The silkier the cat hair, the more prone it is to mats. Even with daily brushing, long haired cats will develop matted hair. Here are some tips for safely removing those hair mats.
Have scissors and a box of cornstarch ready. Feed your cat and then try to get your cat relaxed in your lap. Work a little of the cornstarch into the matted hair first, talk to your cat while your doing this to further relax her.
When the cat is fully relaxed, slide the scissors under the matted hair and cut through the mat vertically. Never cut horizontally, the risk of cutting the cat skin is too great. After you have made a few of vertical cuts into the matted hair, begin to try to comb through the mat with a wide toothed comb. Begin combing at the bottom of the mat, working your way towards the cat's body, pulling the mat apart as you go.
Your cat will not tolerate this for long periods of time, so if your cat has several mats, this could be a week long process for total mat removal. Once the mats have all been removed, bathe your cat and condition her hair, this will help keep the hair from matting.
If your cat's hair is severely matted, shaving the cat may be the only option. Have a professional groomer do this during warm weather.