When I’m sad, my cat, Mel, will sit on my lap facing me and stroke my left cheek very lightly with his paw.
They understand. People think cats are very stand-offish, but they just express things differently. The two we have now are the most affectionate we’ve ever had, and can’t stand to see a lap sitting around empty.
My husband is usually up first in the AM, and if I don’t get up soon after, one of them is in the bedroom patting at my face to get me up and going.