So, on her way from Big Cat Row to a new temporary residence behind the scenes at Melbourne Zoo on Monday, Meo swung by the vet surgery for a routine check-up.

"She looks great for her age," says veterinarian Dr Sarah Frith, after giving Meo a general check-up: eyes, ears, teeth and blood samples. "Her teeth are fantastic, eyes excellent and her coat is in good condition."

"However," Dr. Frith adds, "she has some arthritis in her spine and is a bit overweight."

The zoo had decided that Monday was a great time for a routine examination, as Meo was being transferred from a site that has housed big cats since 1972, but is set to be demolished to make way for a new-and-improved display of predator species.

The zoo also thought it would be worth putting Meo through some x-rays, as her keepers had noticed she had stopped grooming the fur on her back.

Unlike other animals, snow leopards tend not to show signs of pain, explains Dr. Frith, so the matted fur was a clue something might be awry.

Indeed the radiographs found that there are two areas in her spine that have some arthritic change.

"We'll address that with pain relief and (her excessive weight) with a new diet," says Dr. Frith.

After paying a visit to the vet, Meo arrived at her new accommodation, next door to mate Leon – they live separately aside from during mating season – and were joined later in the day by Sundar, their grown-up daughter.

The three will remain at the temporary accommodation until construction concludes on the new Leopard Ridge development, which will become their permanent home.

The site is due to open to visitors in December 2017, and will also house coatis, a flesh-eating, raccoon-like mammal, as well as Tasmanian devils and a Sumatran tiger.