Why do cats have whiskers?

Everything has a purpose and being a cat person, I had to find out exactly what purpose a cat's whiskers serve to a cat. It can't necessarily be for aesthetics, or an evolutionary add-on and it's not like the cat family need a beard badly.

I saw a cat squeeze through a small hole in the fence and it made me question what makes them know which hole they'll be able to squeeze through before making the attempt. You could state the obvious that they have brains to know it but apparently it's not just the brains.

Cats are well known for being flexible but I've seen cats get stuck in holes, not that often though but it happens.

After doing a little research on their flexibility, it turns out, the whiskers a cat has plays a vital role in this. It adds to a cat's excellent navigation skills.

Cats can have a good sense of objects in their surroundings without actually having to make contact with them, simply by utilizing the incredible sensitivity of their whiskers to detect changes in airflow and vibrations. That is particularly useful for cats moving in low light environments. Whiskers can assist cats when trying to figure out whether or not they can fit into a particular box.

If you're an observer, some holes look way too small but the cat can surprise you with the stunt it's capable of pulling to get through that hole.

Besides sensitivity in knowing where to enter, the whiskers act as an additional hunting aid, since they can use these whiskers to detect the slightest movements, a mouse running across the floor can easily be spotted by a cat.

Cats also use their whiskers to communicate emotions. If you see them extend their whiskers forward, they are being curious about something they're observing and if they pull the whiskers back against their face, they're probably frightened.

This is why I wouldn't advice any cat owner to cut or trim their cat's whiskers, it grows there for a reason and taking it out affects a cats movement and hunting abilities. They do shed their own whiskers and grow them back naturally.

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