F4 vs F5 Savannah Cat: Which Generation Should You Actually Buy?
July 21, 2026 · 6 min read
We breed two generations on purpose: F4 and F5. Both are SBT, both are TICA registered, and both are raised underfoot in our home. The question we get every week is which one a family should reserve.
The F4 SBT Savannah
F4s are four generations from the serval — roughly 6 to 12 percent. Males usually land around 13 to 17 pounds, with long legs, big ears, bold spotting, and that stretched "walking on stilts" look people recognize from photos.
Temperament is still fully domestic. Ours climb into laps and sleep with kids. Our F4s start at $4,000.
The F5 SBT Savannah
F5s are five generations out, around 3 to 6 percent serval, and side by side an F5 can be the same size as an F4 — an F4 can be bigger, or an F5 can be bigger. Size varies cat to cat, not just by generation. They keep bold spotting and the athletic body, and they are the most flexible generation legally — permitted in nearly every state that allows Savannahs at all.
F5s start at $2,500 and are what we recommend to most first-time Savannah families, apartment dwellers, and anyone in a state with generation limits.
Side by side
- Size: an F4 and F5 can be the same size, an F4 can be bigger, or an F5 can be bigger — and there is no way to tell a Savannah cat's generation without a pedigree.
- Look: both hold bold spotting, long legs, and large ears.
- Legality: F5 is legal in the widest range of states and cities.
- Price: F4 from $4,000, F5 from $2,500 at LVHYBRIDS.
- Personality: this is what it always boils down to — contact Andrea to find the right fit for your home.
What actually predicts a good match
Honestly, generation matters less than lifestyle. Savannahs of both generations are active, intelligent cats that get destructive when bored. If you want a decorative cat that sleeps 20 hours a day, neither generation is right. If you want a cat that greets you at the door, learns fetch, follows you room to room, and plays in the sink, either will do it.
Tell us your household — kids, dogs, hours away from home, apartment or house — and we will point you to the litter that fits instead of the one that costs more.
Questions About Your Household?
Send an application and we will answer honestly — including telling you if a Savannah is the wrong fit.
Keep reading
Do Savannah Cats Get Along With Dogs and Other Cats?
Short answer: yes. Later-generation Savannahs are social, playful, and often become best friends with the family dog. Here is how to set them up for success at home.
Where Are Savannah Cats Legal? A State-by-State Look at F4 and F5 Ownership
Savannah laws are written around serval percentage, not the breed name. Here is how F4 and F5 SBT Savannahs fit into state and city rules — and what to verify locally before you reserve.