I use the same kind of trimmers as Redhedd uses.

When my cat was a kitten, he did the whole run-and-jump-on-mommy's-pant-legs-and-make-her-give-me-the-look-of-death-while-I-try-to-climb-up-her-leg. Then I tried using the softpaws things on him. It seemed to teach him initially that doing that was not a good idea. The first day after he got them on, he ran and jumped on my leg, and gave me this look like "WTH?!" with his airplane ears as he slowly slid down my leg. It was priceless.

It sure taught him to behave though. I don't use the softpaws on him anymore since he has learned that his scratch post is a good place to sharpen. Sometimes he does it on the carpet too, but that's probably because the scratchpost is the same color and texture as the carpet. I don't mind it too bad on the carpet since he usually only does it a couple of scratches. We have a black leather couch and he doesn't scratch it at all (intentionally).

Basically I use those little scissors when he's sleepy or otherwise calm. I take him in my lap, and I hold him down with my forearm/elbow and trim away. You just don't trim too close to the pink/blood area. Just enough to make it dull and not so curved. I keep the scissors in the living room for a quick trim whenever I notice a bit of an "ouch." He knooooooows what those scissors are.


He did another funny thing today - he was in my husband's way on the floor today, and he told the cat: "Move it, cat, or I'm going to step on you" and he took off running with that funny airplane ear face like: "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Hehehe Sitting on the ground in the middle of a 230 lb partially disabled man isn't a good way to stay plump