Cats are interested in any moving object that moves side-to-side. A laser point is also that—a point—a point they can focus on, like a bug. They will even try to catch side-to-side objects on a television screen, but not vertical.
Dogs will sometimes pay attention to dogs on television, and sounds from the television. Dogs will show curiosity about dogs in the mirror and other reflections—cats act as if they have been duped, recognizing a reflection for what it is, but will paw a reflection in a mirror on the ground as if to see if it is a reflection in water,
Neither dogs nor cats pay any attention to photographs.
Both dogs and cats react very differently than humans in visual stimuli—- and unless the virtual software is greatly modified, would find a virtual reality setting little more than mass confusion.
There haven’t been any scientific studies on animals in virtual reality, however. There HAS been some research done on how they react to television, even as to how they see a television screen. Digital technology IS better for dogs to recognize images than the old T,V,s And dogs are comforted by having talking voices on T,V, and Radio. Dogs are comforted by calming music but for obvious reasons not birds and nature sounds.