Are there any factors you can identify that caused you problems the first time? Was it the math? Was it something else?
The below was what I did that worked for me that helped me get an A: (Sources: Long Beach City College Study Skills Videos & Cal Newport's Study Archives)
My recommendation is to read the chapter before attending lecture to get the concepts down. Summarize each passage under the little headings out loud (mouthing the words is fine), looking down and checking for any information you are missing. Assign yourself a grade of 0=I have no idea what I just read; 1= I feel okay; 2 = I feel confident on this. This helps you identify "weak links" in your understanding. After reading the chapter, watch online video for the concepts you gave yourself 1's and 0's on. It won't be perfect at this point and that's okay. Some free video recommendations include just typing it into YouTube and seeing what happens, Khan Academy, and the Organic Chemistry tutor, who has Gen Chem now. At least for me, videos with a lot of visuals tended to serve me well; I feel Chemistry education has a paucity in this area.
I made a habit of purchasing the solutions manual to go with the book. After reading the chapter, I would try the problems at the back of the text and then check my solutions against the official solutions. Some people have better luck trying this after lecture; Try both and see what works for you.
When going to lecture, I would print off the powerpoint beforehand to take notes on so I didn't have to waste time copying down problem statements. I was not shy about asking questions when I didn't get the jump from one part of the problem to another; Professors want you to do this. Then, after lecture, I would make myself a "Mega Problem Set" (Credit: Cal Newport Study Archives) where I'd make myself a neat how-to with how to start with the logic behind it and how to get from one problem step to the next with the logic behind it. Some people quiz themselves using this. I found that to be overkill, but your mileage may vary.
I always made a habit of purchasing the solutions manual to go with the book. If you can't find a paper copy, Chegg usually has them with their subscription service. The day after the lecture, I would look for similar problems in the back of the text and make sure I could solve them independently without notes. I would ask for help if I was still really struggling.
I think getting used to the idea that this was not going to be perfect and that people get better at math and science by being wrong and being corrected was a good conceptual leap for me.
I had an extremely unhelpful TA. If you have a good TA, it may be helpful to involve them for conceptual hiccups throughout this process.
ETA: In any case, your cat is ADORABLE!! 🙂 We've had at least one orange tabby in our house for probably 30 years because they are just the best cats ever. The current orange tabby is named Homer. He's BFFs with our dog (80 lb lab) and likes to chase her tennis balls.
