Well, we went to the vet. I was going to try and take both, but it was impossible to get the younger one into the carrier. She gave me a nasty scratch. I will see if the vet that does home visits can come see her. I didn't give them any food the evening before the appointment, but the cat that did go still managed to poop and puke some sort of liquid during the 10 minute trip.

According to the vet, meds for her behavior aren't really used here and he didn't prescribe anything. He said another factor may be that many cats sleep less as they age, I guess that explains both the howling and the running up and down the stairs at 3 AM.

Interestingly, Helmut, the dog, has become increasingly annoyed by the howling. When it starts he goes to the door and barks at her. That stops her for a while, but she comes back. And the barking isn't exactly fun either.

When I was a kid, my godmother (aunt) and uncle had a cat named Beckett.