Cat photo - critique please

Here's one I did of our adapted stray cat the other day, not sure if I'm crazy about the crop or not. Feedback and suggestions are welcome. The second photo is the original, feel free to edit and show your ideas.

I prefer the crop on number 1 since it removes the branch from the top of the frame. It could be a little tighter on the right side so the cat isn't in the center of the image. Since the cat is looking left, I think it would be a better image if the cat was positioned on the right side. Also, is the horizon purposely tilted? At first I thought that maybe the cat was on a small hill but then when I look at the background, I notice the car in the background as well as some of the area in front of the car is slanted in the same direction as the foreground.

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Here's my take. Shots of any critter are generally weak if taken from the rear. The eyes are the most important part. You should get them as big as you can in the shot. Secondly, the strong white area in the background overwhelms the subject and draws the eye. Be conscious of overly garish or cluttered backgrounds.

I don't see signs of a slanted image. There's a vertical dark thing that looks like it might be a utility pole. That's plumb.

DGStinner wrote in post #17396698
Also, is the horizon purposely tilted? At first I thought that maybe the cat was on a small hill but then when I look at the background, I notice the car in the background as well as some of the area in front of the car is slanted in the same direction as the foreground.

We live on a hill... as surmised there's a utility pole in the background that's perfectly vertical.