Thanks for your input Medusa, you're very helpful. I have heard of Rescue Remedy and have considered doing craniosacral bodywork on him, but he's not a real touchy-feely guy. He puts up with contact for only a couple of minutes.

Actually, I've been afraid that crating him would put him off the crate at vet time, too. However, he seems to think this crate is his and he does not protest being put in, only being locked in. One night at 3:30 when I crated him for waking me, he followed me into the living room and when I squatted down by the crate, he walked right in--I was stunned!

As a result, we are now only crating him when he wakes us. Some nights he waits until 5 minutes before the alarm, so things are calming down. My husband is convinced that the reason he wakes us and acts out is so that we can pet him while he eats. I don't do this, so I don't know where the cat got the idea that we were a full service dining experience. Weird. But I think he's right.