The Function of the Whiskers of House Cats?

It's not balance, but has to do with feeling, sensing distance and what's out there apparently. It may even have something to do with the sense of smell, although that remains to be proven. Animals that are professionally groomed and have their whiskers trimmed short artificially seem to have more difficulty tracking down little beasties like unwanted household rodents and insects that invade the house, at least to my observation. Of course, these professional grooming sessions also often involve a spritzing with some perfumey substance, which may throw off the otherwise acute sense of smell. But the whiskers are feelers, in any case. An animal that's built for walking with its head down through tall gr needs that sort of thing to keep from blundering into things, in addition to just seeing. So wild dogs have them and wolves, although theirs don't seem as large or as finely tuned as those of the big cats.