Where the Buffalo (and Cats) Roam

Hi,
   
My two cats have been city/apartment cats for six years now. There's a good possibility that we may be moving to the suburbs, and purchasing a home with a large backyard.
   
Is it safe to let my cats outside once we have moved? It seems cruel to keep them indoors, but they've never roamed freely.
   
Thank You!

I wouldn't do it, if I were you. They'll have no experience with roaming, could easily get lost, would not know to avoid contact with raccoons, oppossums, & other animals that could be dangerous to them.
   
It isn't cruel to keep them out of the yard - they'll be fine if you can amuse them.
   
Once you move, I recommend one of these options:
   
1) Building a screened-in porch (if you don't already have one on the house). Add a cat tree or other cat jungle gym & some furniture for yourself. The cats can hang out in the porch to enjoy the world, with you.
   
2) If you already have a deck on the house, you can enclose part of it for the cats (and yourself, in mosquito season). Or build a deck, if you need one, with half of it enclosed.
   
3) Build a cat run area. These cat runs can be as small as 8 x 5 x 6, set against an outside wall with a window for an entrance, or as complex as an actual screened-in porch.
   
Entrances can be the back door onto the porch; a cat flap in a window; or a complex elevated aerial catwalk from the house to the cat porch.
   
A website that shows a wide varity of cat enclosures is at: http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclosures.htm. Also google "cat enclosures OR run OR outdoors" for more ideas. A nice example is titled "CatStuff: Cat Run" & the domain name is "xmission", sublevel "~emailbox / catrun.htm
   
Make sure they have collars & tags. Consider getting them chipped or tattoo'd (an option to chipping, they tattoo inside the ear (I think) & register the number); ask the vet about this option.
   
Also be aware that any cat that spends time even just in a porch will need extra vaccinations; talk to your vet about what shots are needed for your situation.

Thank you for all of this information! There are lots of great ideas here that will protect my babies! :)