Adding the kitty printer progress here along with notes:

added a refresh() function to pycamera that only calls esp_camera_fb_return(frame) so that the gameboy filter can refresh on the display.
the gameboy filter is pulled from the CircuitPython module: https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/blob/main/shared-module/bitmaptools/__init__.c#L774C1-L862C2
i tried two different methods for printing to the cat printer: drawBitmap and drawPixel. drawBitmap is commented out, but wanted to leave for prosperity

the behavior i was experiencing was that 9/10 times the printer would connect properly, it would receive the buffer to print, would start printing but would stop before completing the task. the memento would think it was still printing and essentially be frozen, requiring a reset. the percentage that printed was different every time. 1/10 times the print would finish properly and the memento would go back to previewing with the filter. if a 2nd print was attempted though, the partial print behavior would occur.

my theory is that the pictures are overwhelming the printer buffer or that a command is missing to clear memory on the printer. i say this because if you don't call cat.fillScreen(1) to fill the buffer with white, you will get a ghost image of what you previously sent to the buffer. also if i send an empty white buffer it "prints" without the partial print issues.

i tried experimenting with the initial buffer size for the printer but that did not change things. based on what i've read about the printer it expects the [48 * 400] sized buffer so i've left that here.

i did try the Thermal Printer library but it has errors with IDF5. compiled with release BSP and it sees the printer but does not connect.