Our cat and her long nails!

[Bijou]

Our kitty, Sherkan, is 21 and doesn't get around much outside.  As a result, her claws just keep growing.  We finally had to take her to the vet to be clipped and a couple of times they were able to do it, in spite of her protests.  The third time, though, they put some kind of weird helmet on her (honestly, it looked like something out of an old dungeon movie) and she went out of her mind.  We stopped the process and thought we would try and clip them at home.  Well, we can clip some of them, but there are the big thick ones on her front paws and she just won't let us do it.  So, today I am taking her back in to the vet to get them clipped and am dreading it. 
Does anyone have any tricks for doing this?  We have the clip for her neck to make her think her mommie is holding on to her.  I've tried holding her scruff of her neck.  This just isn't enough control.  We could wrap her in a towel but she still has free roaming teeth.  We have those little cat nail clippers, too.  I'm about ready to give her a bunch of catnip.  I thought maybe someone might have suggestions to make it less traumatic for her, or some way to get her to cooperate.  We need help!
Thanks.

[Chartreuse]

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/clientED/cat_restraint.asp

How to restrain a cat.  As old as she is, I doubt she's going to suddenly decide it's okay for somebody to mess with her paws, if she's always had issues with it.  I would suggest that while she's restrained and being trimmed, perhaps you could put SoftPaws on her (only if she's staying inside)?  http://www.softpaws.com/  They won't ******* the growth of her claws, but they will protect your house from long nails snagging on everything?  You superglue them on, and leave them on until they fall off.  Most cats don't mind them after you put them on.  I'm definitely a fan.

[kathrynne]

Nail-clipping is seen as a two- to three-person job here, especially with certain kitties. Depending on the kitty, it's either DH and I involved, or DH, the vet and I--and that gets expensive.

Catnip's a great start if she's not a mean drunk (we have one mean drunk and two happy stoners). Use the clip, towel tightly and have one person hold the kitty burrito. The person most comfortable and coordinated with the nailclippers is trusted to wield them.

Does Sherkan have favorite scratching posts? Except for one brief period in college, I've never let my furbabies out of the house. We just have lots of scratching posts, including a cat tree with a couple of natural wood "trunks."

This would be a great time for someone to insert the "How to give a cat a bath" thingie. Cats? Cooperate? Hah!

[Suze]

I just usually wait till they are napping somewhere and pick them up and cuddle. and while they are all purry - strike

you may only be able to get one claw at a time.

I also play with their toes a lot

[Zen]

Our cat is a polydactyl (means she has many toes, more than normal, like 6-8 on each foot) and some of the claws on her many toes just don't work. We clip every week, or she gets snagged on everything. Carpet, screens, other cats.. Anyway, we tried soft claws for a while, but we had problems with putting too much glue in the claws, and them staying on for months, which is not good. My husband and I double team her, since she really hates people touching her feet. H cradles the cat in his arms until she stops trying to kill him, and then I clip. It works best if you do it a lot, because the kitty does eventually realize that its a short procedure that doesn't hurt (her at least), and she gets tuna afterwards to soothe her dignity. 

[Bijou]

Thanks for the replies.  We took her to the vet today and a new person who works there was able to cut her nails without too much trouble, although some were harder than others to cut.  We never could have done it.  They had this nice pair of clippers that have a guard that you can put in place so that only a tip of the nail will be cut.  One of my fears is cutting too much, which would be painful so I went out and got a pair of those.  They showed us how to put her on her side and hold her so she can't turn over.  We have to make this a biweekly or more routine and just trim a little at a time so she will get used to it.  As soon as we put her in her travel box she started squawking loud and crabbily.  Usually she doesn't do that, but she remembered her last ordeal, I guess.  I like the idea of a treat for afterwards and got some catnip.  She didn't want it.  Gads.  One time she spent about an hour with an old wet teabag that had catnip in it.  I thought this would be a real treat.  Guess I have to get her some Gerbers baby food veal.  She loves that and rarely gets it.