Hello Sarah,
Both of these are really good suggestions. We often have our cat's nails trimmed at our vet. Please whatever you do, do not declaw your cat. Declawing is a cruel procedure. It is the same as if you lost the length of your fingers from the tip of your finger to the first knuckle. It is extremely painful for the cat and some cats end up crippled. Have your cat's nails trimmed at your vets by one of the vet technicians. A lot of vets offer it as a free complimentary service . My husband and I trim our cat's claws but it is a 2 person job at least for our kitty. We also offer him some treats as a reward when we are finished so he associates the treats with the trimming and now he lets us trim his claws which really doesn't take a lot of time. I wish you and your kitty well. Eve ( Sammy's mom )
Good suggestion, another is to try wrapping a towel around here tightly with just one paw out at a time with her head too of course, this is called a burrito wrap and does help unless it freaks her out even more. You cld also try some natural calming phernomes called Feliway or Zylkene both avail thru a Vet clinic
My best suggestion is to have your vet clip her nails. He knows how to hold a feisty cat without causing her pain and without anesthesia. When you take her to have this done, WATCH how she is held, and how they get the clipping done. Remember it - then maybe you can copy this at home next time she needs a trim. :)