wow
needs sharpening.

Erm... I'm no expert on realism, but you've got the basics down. I watched the animation, and you started by blocking the main colors in, which is definitely the way to start. Then you started using the blur tool, which, while useful at times, isn't the best in a pic like this. The dodge and burn tools are also dangerous when not used carefully. I much prefer to choose a darker shade of the same or a slightly different color. It's a little extra work, but it shows and gives the picture much more depth. Don't be afraid to shade with unconventional colors--if you're using a ref, and you see the colors there, they will work in the painting. For the fur on your cat, I'd take a very small brush at a low opacity and make short strokes in the basic color you want. Then, add darker tones in the same method. After that, work on the highlights, same way. The best thing that I can say about painting realism is--paint exactly what you see. Sometimes people have a an archetype in their heads, but if you work from that, the proportions can get all wonky and end up looking weird. I always second-guess myself when I'm painting. I hold the ref up, look at it sideways, upside down, whatever, to make sure I've gotten it the way it is. It takes a bit of practice, but with the start you already have, you should do very well. Good luck!