are used for sensory perception and navigation. Through their whiskers they can sense a change of air current so during the night they can tell how far an object is away from them.

Plus they use them to tell how big an opening is. The side face whiskers are as wide as it's body so if a cat can stick it's head through an opening without touching the whiskers, the rest of it can get through.

Now I must admit that I had to google the name of them but knew the rest. I just thought they were called whiskers!! LOL I'm guessing that the name(s) that you want are: "tactile hairs" or vibrissae?

Why do cat's have whiskers?