Since I prepare my own food on the counters, I don't let my cats up on them. They also know that they aren't allowed up there because I've caught them on video up on the counter when I'm out of the room and perking up and jumping down when they hear me approaching. To deter them from getting up there when I'm not in the kitchen, I set a battery-operated motion alarm with a doorbell chime from Lowes up on the counter. They hear it go off and immediately jump to the floor, knowing that I'll be running in shortly after it goes off.

Kevin