how long will a cats heat cycle last/can she get pregnant right after going out of heat?

Question
My cat appears to be going out of heat, but how can I know that she is completely out, I want to let her out of the house but I don't want her to get pregnant. How can I know she is completely out of heat?

Answer
Hi Laura, Sadly cats are never safely 'out of heat'. The stimulus of seeing and smelling a whole male can send them back into heat in 10 minutes.. sometimes less. If you have them inside and not in contact with a male they may stay out of heat for 3-4 weeks, but it never means they are safe enough to go outside without becoming pregnant. The only 100% way to make sure your cat is not going to get pregnant is to spay her. Teresa