I totally understand.
It was that way with my Rocket, RIP. When we got him from Animal Alliance in California, we didn’t have the cat
carrier with us, but in the car, he curled up immediately on my lap and made himself my cat then and there.
After we took him to the vet and got rid of his ear mites (the poor little guy), he was a very good boy for fifteen years.
I miss him every day.
May you see him again at the Rainbow Bridge.