Cat Won't Stop Pawing Doors

Hello, I have had my cat from over a year now. He's been declawed and
neutered since I've owned him. He's never been affectionate towards me
expect when I first come home from work (and thats for about 5 mins).

Over the last 4 days, he's taken on a bad and very frustrating/annoying
behavior. Every late night/early morning (I'm talking about 3 or 4
am), he starts pawing on the closet door until he wakes me up then he
runs and hides. If he had claws it would be like he's sharpening his
claws in turbo mode.

The first time, he ran out into the kitchen where his bowl was and I
saw he was low on food and water so I topped his bowl off, thinking
that was his way of saying I'm hungry, then laid back down. About 20
mins later, he started it again. I sat up, he ran and hid. This will
continue until I'm up for the day; every 10 to 15 mins he's pawing a
door to wake me back up.

If it was just the one closet door, I'd think there was something in
there he wanted. However, I moved his carrier in front of the door, so
he then moved to the 2nd closet door. If I shut him out of the
bedroom, he paws the bedroom door until I wake up and let him in. If I
move out to try and sleep on my living room couch, he paws the front
door or the entry way coat closet door.

I've tried everything from giving him a light swat on the butt and
telling him no TO tossing a shoe at the wall near him (NOT at him, to
try and scare him away from the door; he runs, but comes back a few
mins later) TO putting him in his carrier (which he just paws at the
carrier door which is more annoying)....

I don't know what else to try, but I'm EXHAUSTED after being woken up
constantly...He doesn't like to play during waking hours and again he's
not an affectionate cat (very independent).

Can anyone suggest another idea? I'd love to get some sleep tonight.