I wouldn't think of it as just simplifying more, but simplifying with more intention. Here's some thoughts to consider while simplifying that hopefully are useful to you. The torso is a good starting point because it can give you a lot of information about gesture and anatomy. It should be just one or two simple shapes. Here I simplified this kiki's torso with one cylinder that started as a bean. You did a very nice job here creating a sense of depth with overlap, especially in the cat. Try to incorporate shape hierarchy -- this idea not only applies to the torso, but also to other forms that build off one another, like a snout on a head and toes on a foot. Think simple to complex.