If you put a cat somewhere away from home, they can find their way back no matter how far away it is. If you put them in the same far away place, and cut off their wiskers, they won't be able to find their way back.
Also.. a cat's wiskers sick out exactly as wide as their body is, so if they are trying to walk through something and their wiskers touch the walls, or whatever they are walking through, they know they can't fit.