The best you can hope for is that the cat won't get on the counter most of the time while you're in the kitchen. That's the best case scenario. Your cats get on the counter, they absolutely do (assuming they're physically able to).

One thing you can do is to NEVER feed your cat from your hand. Always put it in the bowl, on the floor. And, never feed them when you're eating. Don't let the cat know that it's a possibility that you'll hand them food directly. You break the rule one time, and it's all over.

[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 12 points 5 days ago

A great thing about cats is that they are able to use the vertical space in your home to get enough exercise without having to go outdoors. And since they reliably land on their feet, it's a lot safer than having your toddler roaming around the kitchen in the middle of the night, but in terms of curiosity and good judgement it's about the same.

Wipe down your counters of course, but you shouldn't be preparing food directly on the counter anyway. I stow my cutting boards vertically behind my canisters when not in use.

And give them better places to climb, like a tall cat tree in a sunny window, or a perch above your computer. High+interesting+warm+secure