The pictures they don't show you in the "How to clip a cat's claws" guide

[natalie_ca]

. I usually do best when Monet is asleep and I can trim his claws

When Abby was a kitten that is how I cut her nails.  There was no cutting them when she was awake, so I had to sneak up on her and clip them while she slept. Sometimes I would only be able to do a couple of nails before she woke up enough to mind!  LOL

 

[fhicat]

 
It's not a cat, but sometimes I feel like I need to do this to my own cats

Funny thing is, this is similar to what I've seen groomers do. Well, not hanging mid-air, but they'd put slings on the cats and somehow the cats will behave.