Tail Tales: Maritoni Fernandez & daughter Lexi

Maritoni: Yuki, our two-year-old flat-nosed, tri-color Chinchilla Persian, and Bella, a Himalayan pure breed with blue eyes, were gifts from my best friend Jannette Garbes.

We give Yuki a bath and comb her coat every three days. We  powder her up so she will smell nice. We clean her eyes with water-soaked cotton balls and her ears with cotton buds. We take her to the vet for shots.

Yuki is playful and graceful. She is quick to respond to her name, too. She would sit quietly by the door, waiting for me to come home every day. When she sees me, she gets excited. She knows when I’m sad and she tries her best to cheer me up. When I ignore her, she gets upset. When I pester her, she plays rough with me—which is her way of showing affection.

Lexi: Bella means beautiful; the name suits her perfectly. She is lovable and sweet. She loves to cuddle and enjoys the company of people. My mom thinks she’s a ham. A lot like me raw. She’s Miss Friendship. She will let anyone carry her. I always find time for Bella. I make sure she is clean and she has food to eat and water to drink. She gives me joy. Bayani San Diego Jr.