Cute Kitten. It's pretty inactive in this forum
In the first practice shot, if you brought out the eyes some more (they're super underexposed), I think that would be really nice. If you brought up the contrast on the shot just a touch, and maybe the warmth just by like 1 or 2 in Lightroom (almost the least possible), I think that would add to it.
I wish I wasn't allergic to cats