Members of the cat family are naturally wary and mostly keep to themselves when the situation allows. But they are also very adaptable and don't process fear the same way dogs do leading me to suspect that their cognitive and critical faculties are not as well developed as that of their canine counterparts. You are likely to observe that a cat will have no qualms about returning to the same place it got a bloody nose like say, the hamlet of a naughty boy. I think the best companion pets in cars are kittens since they are very playful and curious. There is the risk of the cat jumping out of the car if the door is opened. Attempts to return them could prove futile especially if it is in an urban concrete or wild jungle. I have never taken the cat out and am of the opinion that those who do so usually carry the cat in the car during change of residence.