I do not hate cats, but I have to know...

....why so many cat lovers allow their cats to walk all over the kitchen counters. I used to have cats, but they were absolutely NOT allowed to jump up on the counters. It absolutely makes me cringe everytime I see a picture of a cat sitting on a kitchen counter. I even saw one picture with a cat eating out of a crock pot or something. All I can picture is a cat burying it's business inside a littler box with its paws then climbing up on the kitchen counter with those same paws. That is really disgusting to me. I also can't imagine having a cat spray all over the house. That has to be the most vulgar smell in the world. How do you deal with such a thing? I know that right now many people are getting angry with me but I have to say something about the subject of cats climbing on the kitchen counters. That has to be very unsanitary. Why do so many people allow it and even take pictures of it like it is something so cute?