These are just too artisic for most people. I have liked these since they first came out and still like them for one main reason. There is nothing on the shelves past or present that looks like these (with the exception of the Jumpman swift 6 and Jumpman Olympian[I think thats what they were called] wich were both based on the XV and released the same year). The design is so extreme anyone wearing these is bound to get comments (both good and bad).They are only shoes but they speak to people on such a level, that as OP said himself some cats actually get angry. If acheiving an emotional response (wether it be joy/sadness/anger) with a created material object is not art then I guess I just dont know what art is. I think this design truly represents Tinkers mindset, a mindset so incredibly ahead of its time that ever since he has had to dumb down his creations for the masses.