Alright, to address the "Is this mean?" question - I can't speak for every cat, or about all circumstances. What I can say is that I have grown up around cats since the day I was born, that I am extremely fond of kitties, and that I have a great deal of respect for them as relatively intelligent and dignified animals.
I feel this intimate knowledge of and affection for cats lets me say this with at least a little weight. If I tried to do something with a cat, and the cat didn't like it, it simply wouldn't fly. Have you ever tried to give a cat some pills? Exactly. Cats might be a little miffed about something, sure - and it's fair to avoid annoying them, of course. But if they really object to something they're more than capable of letting you know, and if you were to persist, they'd tear the thing off within minutes.
I don't believe you can make a blanket statement about what cats like and dislike, but I think it safe to say that this falls a long way short of cruelty and is only in some cases mean. When it's mean, you don't do it. If your cat doesn't mind, then it's not mean. A little attention to a cat's mood can easily tell you whether or not they're cool with it.
