More good input. Thanks!

I saw the smudgeyness on the right side but got lazy and forgot how good your eyes are

I think some of the learning that I'm taking away from this thread, as is often the case has to do with distraction and focal point. The yellow hat is a bright yellow and so it was rendered bright yellow. BUT because it was so yellow, it's stealing the show as the shot is about the cuteness of the cat wearing the hat, but too much attention is going to the hat itself. Playing with lighting (for this shot window light plus reflector) can only be done once before shooting in a case like this, as there is no time to fiddle with light, while shooting a constantly fidgety cat.

Given that it is a feisty cat that was being photographed and you do the best you can with them, it would have been smarter to choose a less vibrant colour in the first place. Of course I can fix the colour in post, but who wants more work?

Thanks all!
marko