Cats like being up from the ground, whether it's a tree, countertop, on top of kitchen cabinets, wherever, it's just the way they are. I've had cats for over 40 years, and I have found 2 ways to break them of things I don't want them to do. One is to use a child's squirt gun, and just give them a quick squirt at their face (won't hurt them) when you catch them doing it. The other is to give them a quick flick of the finger on the bridge of their nose (not hard, just enough for them to feel it). Both these methods kind of startle them, and evenually they associate what they are doing with something they don't like. Once they learn, all you usually need to do is snap your fingers at them and call their name.
Hope this helps!