My problem niece and the cats

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I have a 32-year old niece who is the "black sheep" of the family. Both of her parents have passed away and she is an only child. She says I am the closest thing she has to a mother. She has been getting into trouble since she was 14 with stealing, drugs and check forgery. She served 14 months of a 2 year sentence for probation violation, check forgery and drug possession. She was paroled a year ago. Her parole was up on Oct. 31. None of the family will have anything to do with her. I am the only one who has even spoken to her in 3 years. I keep her away from me and won't allow her to come to my home, but I do speak to her by telephone. She has said it is almost impossible to get an apartment with a drug conviction. Right now she is living with 4 adults and 2 children. Yesterday she called me to tell me she will have her own apartment by February. I have a cat she bought 4 years ago and I ended up taking responsibility for within a few weeks. I had gotten a cat as a companion to the one my niece got. There are just too many animals in my home and I am trying to find a home for both cats. My niece wants me to keep the cats until she gets her apartment. I have a feeling that when the time comes, she will want me to co-sign her apartment lease. She has just never been reliable in the past and I will not co-sign anything for her. Should I keep trying to place the cats in a new home or should I believe my niece and hold on to the cats for her?