As stated on our Ragdoll Grooming information page, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER put a matted cat into water.  Water will make the mats tighter and it is not likely that you get the mats out without shaving your cats coat off. 

Dematting tools range from tools that cut the coat off, scissors to combs and brushes.  We prefer a wide metal tooth comb for dematting.  The wide metal tooth comb works well in separating the hairs and detangling.

If your cat is extremely matted, rather than pulling on the coat, or trying to cut at the matting, it might be better for both you and your Ragdoll cat to "throw in the towel" and call in a professional groomer.  Your local groomer can generally salvage a matted coat with a few grooming techniques.

Unless you are a groomer by profession, we never recommend taking a pair of scissors to an animals coat.  When you are attempting to trim out a mat your cat could move ever so slightly and you can have an emergency on your hands.  The skin of your cat is very thin and can cut very easily with a pair of scissors. 

This is the type of metal tooth comb we recommend for combing and dematting your Ragdoll cat.  It is also called a finishing comb or a Greyhound comb.  It is available at most of your larger retail outlets such as PetsMart or PetCo, online at Revival Animal www.revivalanimal.com or PetEdge www.petedge.com.