Do dogs and cats really watch tv?

I've never had a cat, but I've had dogs since I've been married. Often we have had 2 dogs at a time, so I won't say how many dogs I've had.
Anyway, while I was watching television the other day with my dog, I knew that she was watching, too. Of course since the show was Dog Whisperer, she had a special bond with the stars of that episode. But seriously, she does watch television. She's bored and sleeps through the scenes with people, but if there is a dog on the screen, she's watching. I know she is. I wonder what she thinks?
One of my dogs watched any scene on television that had a cat. Not just house cats, but lions, tigers, if it was in the cat family, she knew it, and all her attention was fixed on the television.
Hmm... that's got to make it into a book one day...