We travel NE to TV and back with 2 cats occasionally. We start with them in carriers and cages, however, we open the doors so they can roam freely. The more you travel with them, the more they get comfortable with the travel. some with talk the voice of their people all the whole time (cry), initial vet drugs before leaving helps them get acclimated.
We cover the seats and floor with a plastic tarp to keep accidents and claws from wrecking any locations. Litter box on one side of the floor, food/water on the other floor in the back seat. We have left them in the truck overnight instead of taking them into the hotel room. Windows were cracked slightly and nights not below freezing. They were fine. . .
While driving, and they are not experienced, they can end up in places you don't want them to be:
Under the dashboard, behind the gas pedal, on the driver's lap, on the dashboard in front of the driver,
Events which can happen:
They poop on your legs/clothes while driving and in any other places except the litter box. . have cleaning wipes available, travel with a go bag with a change of clothes happened two hours into our drive last time. They
from motion sickness. . They find place to sleep which they find requires less motion prevention work by muscles. . like sleeping during rough seas, tough if you are constantly using muscles to resist rolling.
We keep an extra towel to put on the passenger's legs to prevent claws from legs during warm months drive with short on. .
good luck. .