Published Dec 15, 2019
Triumph promises high-quality food at an economy price, but is it any better than the average food at the grocery? Find out in our Triumph cat food review.
The Cats.com Standard—Rating Triumph on What Matters
We’ve analyzed Triumph and graded it according to the Cats.com standard, evaluating the brand on species-appropriateness, ingredient quality, product variety, price, customer experience, and recall history. Here’s how it rates in each of these six key areas.
Ratings
- Species-Appropriateness – 6/10
- Ingredient Quality – 7/10
- Product Variety – 6/10
- Price – 9/10
- Customer Experience – 6/10
- Recall History – 4/10
Overall Score: 6.3/10
We give Triumph cat food a 38 out of 60 rating or a C+ grade.
About Triumph
The Triumph brand was created by Sunshine Mills, a US-based pet food company founded in 1949. The company originally operated as an animal feed company, entering the pet food business in 1960. Since then, it’s created several pet food brands, including Evolve, Hi-Tor Veterinary Select, Sunshine Pet Treats, and Triumph.
The Triumph brand focuses on “quality food & treats for a naturally healthy pet”. It’s described as a super-premium line that provides digestibility, ingredient quality, and flavor.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Triumph cat food is manufactured in several facilities. Dry food production is divided between seven company-owned facilities in the United States, while their wet food is made by third-party manufacturers in the United States and the Netherlands.
Has Triumph Cat Food Been Recalled?
In 2017, Sunshine Mills recalled Triumph’s Ocean Fish canned cat food due to the potential presence of a “foreign material” in the cans.
While the 2017 recall was the only one that involved Triumph cat food, Sunshine Mills has issued multiple recalls over the years. In 2018, the company recalled several varieties of food due to elevated vitamin D levels. Over 10 years earlier, Sunshine Mills dog biscuits were involved in the far-reaching melamine recalls.
What Kinds Of Cat Food Does Triumph Offer?
Triumph cat food comes in both dry and wet varieties.
The wet food comes in either cans or cups. Cupped recipes feature shredded meat in gravy, while Triumph’s canned line features paté-style foods.
The brand’s dry food lineup includes the Free Spirit line of grain-free food and the original line, which includes grain-based ingredients.
Triumph Cat Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Price | Our Grade |
| Triumph Chicken ‘N Liver Formula Canned Cat Food | Wet | $0.17 per oz | B |
| Triumph Ocean Fish Formula Canned Cat Food | Wet | $0.21 per oz | B- |
| Triumph Wild Spirit Deboned Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Cat Food | Dry | $2.46 per lb | C+ |
#1 Triumph Chicken ‘N Liver Formula Canned Cat Food Review
Chicken appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
You can’t decide whether or not Triumph is a good option unless you’ve taken a closer look at a few of its recipes.
Let’s start with the brand’s popular chicken and liver formula canned cat food.
The food is a soft, smooth paté featuring chicken as its primary ingredient. Though only chicken is named on the front of the can, this food also contains pork liver, ocean fish, and dried egg product as additional protein sources. While most of these ingredients are clearly-named, ocean fish isn’t. This title doesn’t refer to a single species—it’s a general term referring to a variety of fish types.
In addition to proteins, the paté contains rice flour, guar gum, and carrageenan as thickening and stabilizing agents. While none of these ingredients are ideal for cats, carrageenan is one you probably don’t want in your cat’s food. This seaweed derivative is a potential carcinogen and may worsen or cause inflammation.
Overall, this food has high protein content, moderate fat, and low carbohydrate content.
With plenty of nourishing animal ingredients, relatively low carbohydrate content, and a generous dose of fat from species-appropriate sources, this food is close to the cat food ideal. That said, the food’s use of rice flour brings its carbohydrate content just over the 10% mark and its use of carrageenan—albeit very little carrageenan—keep it from being one of the best foods on the market.
The food contains 516 calories in each 13.2-ounce can or roughly 39 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Pork Liver, Ocean Fish, Rice Flour, Dried Egg Product, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E, A, D3, B12 Supplements, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Choline Chloride, Carrageenan, Taurine.
Ingredients We Liked: Chicken, Pork Liver
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Rice Flour, Guar Gum, Carrageenan
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Primarily uses clearly-named, highly-digestible animal ingredients
- Good macronutrient distribution
- Doesn’t contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Very calorie-dense, making it ideal for cats who need extra nutrition
Cons
- Carbohydrate content is slightly higher than ideal
- Contains carrageenan, which may cause harm over time
#2 Triumph Ocean Fish Formula Canned Cat Food Review
Ocean fish appears to be the primary protein source in this wet cat food.
Like the last Triumph recipe we reviewed, this is a creamy paté-style food. Reviewers describe its texture as moist and soft.
This soft paté is primarily composed of ocean whitefish. As we discussed in the last review, this vague name refers to a range of fish species. The types of ocean fish used in pet food are prone to heavy metal contamination and may not be an ideal option for long-term feeding.
In addition to fish, the food contains pork liver along with chicken and dried egg product. All are hearty, species-appropriate ingredients with plenty of nutrition to offer. The food contains a mix of rice flour, guar gum, and carrageenan as thickening agents.
Overall, this wet food has high protein content with moderate fat and high carbohydrate content.
This food looks a lot like the last one we reviewed, but its carbohydrate content appears to be significantly higher, with about 21% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis. Combined with the use of potentially-harmful carrageenan, this keeps this food from making it as one of our top recommendations for cats.
The food has 405 calories in each 13.2-ounce can or about 31 calories per ounce.
Ingredients
Ocean Fish, Water Sufficient for Processing, Pork Liver, Chicken, Rice Flour, Dried Egg Product, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite), Carrageenan, Vitamins (Vitamin E, A, D3, B12 Supplements, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Choline Chloride, Taurine.
Ingredients We Liked: Pork Liver, Chicken
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Rice Flour, Guar Gum, Carrageenan
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Primarily made from nourishing animal ingredients
- Rich in readily-digestible protein
- Doesn’t contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives that might harm your cat
Cons
- At just over 20% on a dry matter basis, this food’s carbohydrate content is higher than ideal
- Contains potentially-harmful carrageenan
#3 Triumph Wild Spirit Deboned Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Cat Food
Deboned salmon appears to be the primary protein source in this dry cat food.
We’ve taken a closer look at a couple of Triumph’s wet foods, but how do their dry foods stack up?
Let’s analyze this kibble.
The food features deboned salmon as the first ingredient. Moving down the ingredient list, we see that it also contains chicken and turkey meal as concentrated sources of animal protein.
As for plant ingredients, the food contains hearty helpings of oatmeal, whole ground rice, whole ground barley, peas, and potatoes. All of these ingredients add carbohydrates, fiber, and a little bit of protein. Later on the ingredient list, the food contains small amounts of whole carrots, sweet potatoes, cranberries, blueberries, flaxseed, barley grass, and other plant-based sources of trace nutrients.
With dried chicory root as a source of prebiotic fiber—that’s the type of fiber that feeds probiotic bacteria in your cat’s gut—and three strains of probiotic bacteria, this food should help to support a happy gut and good digestion.
Overall, this food has moderate protein content with moderate fat and high carbohydrate content.
Though this food is doing some things well—it’s primarily made from clearly-named, easy-to-digest animal protein sources and contains digestive supplements—it’s not the best food you could give your cat. With over 30% carbohydrate content and a smorgasbord of plants, this food isn’t a carnivore’s dream. Pair that with the food’s low moisture content and you have a decidedly non-ideal meal for cats.
The food has 383 calories per cup.
Ingredients
Deboned Salmon, Chicken Meal, Oat Groats, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Turkey Meal, Whole Ground Barley, Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Peas, Potatoes, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Flaxseed, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Salmon Flavor, Powdered Cellulose, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Salt, Fish Oil, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-Lysine, Dried Chicory Root, Beta Carotene, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Source Of Vitamin B6], Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin), etc…
Ingredients We Liked: Deboned Salmon, Chicken Fat, Probiotics
Ingredients We Didn’t Like: Oatmeal, Whole Ground Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Peas, Potatoes, Whole Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Peas
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
Caloric Weight Basis
Pros
- Nourishing poultry and fish are the food’s main ingredients
- Doesn’t contain by-products or vaguely-named ingredients
- Contains prebiotics and probiotics to support digestion and overall health
- Doesn’t contain any potentially-harmful artificial additives like colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
- High carbohydrate content
- Doesn’t supply enough moisture to keep your cat healthy
What Do Customers Think Of Triumph Cat Food?
Triumph is largely regarded as a healthy alternative to other economy brands. Most customers seem to respect the foods’ ingredient quality and nutritional merits, but cats aren’t in such certain agreement. A healthy number of buyers say their cats refused to eat Triumph foods.
Let’s read a few positive and negative reviews from real Triumph cat food customers.
Positive Reviews
New With This Brand
“Im fostering grandpa Rex- a senior fiv+ cat that will be going to a sanctuary next week. He cannot eat dry food as he got dental surgery two days ago leaving him with the canines only. He has to eat soft food-patè-and my friend recommended me this brand as the canned food is nutritious, enticing smell and still affordable. Grandpa Rex loved it! He would still hiss at me but calm down once he heard the can being opened. He eats least half of the can per meal, three times a day :)” – by Ruth, reviewing Triumph Ocean Fish Formula Canned Cat Food on 15 Jun 2019
Good Food For A Good Price
“This food meets all the basic requirements for cat food for me. It has no by products or artificial ingredients. Made in the US, no recalls that I can find. Our cats like it compared to other similar foods we’ve purchased and it hasn’t made our cats sick. We have a dozen cats and certain brands would end up making everyone throw up or avoid the food altogether, so we know it was the food when you see a large group of cats sick or avoid a food. The kibble is nice and small for cats and kittens. There are only 2 flavors which is a down side because my cats do get a little sick of it I think. I try to add eggs or milk, cream etc sometimes to make it more exciting. I know the ‘professionals’ will tell you to keep pets on the same diet forever, but thats ridiculous. Animals get sick of the same thing just like we do. so, my only complaint is lack of flavor choice…and, this brand has a canned food that our cats LOVE and can be mixed in with the dry for extra flavor and variety. Same good ingredients and made in the US. Most of our cats turn their nose up at canned food but love this brand.” – by Mama26kids, reviewing Triumph Wild Spirit Deboned Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Cat Food on 7 Nov 2019
Negative Reviews
Smelly Cats
“Introduced this to my two kitties. One ate it right away the other wasn’t happy about it, but ate it the next day. They’ve been eating if for a week and I’ve noticed their poop is smelling really bad. They’ve had no other changes to their diet. I’m going to go back to the Chicken Soup brand.” – by AnaNG, reviewing Triumph Chicken n’ Liver Formula Canned Cat Food on 4 Jun 2019
Don’t Do It!
“I read the reviews here, and looked at the ingredients and decided to slowly switch our cats over to this. The deal for the price was pretty good. I’ve had a rough time finding a decent food for my cats that’s affordable. The transition went seamlessly however, about two weeks after they started this food they had diarrhea. They actually refused to eat it. I ran out and got a bag of Taste of the Wild and they happily devoured it. About 48 hours later the diarrhea subsided. I decided to do a 1/2 and 1/2 mix of the Triumph and the Taste of the Wild just to see, and I’ll be darned if they didn’t pick eat all the Taste of the Wild and leave this food in the bowl… Smart little things. Overall my experience wasn’t great. I wouldn’t recommend this food. I wish it had turned out differently.” – by creativecobra, reviewing Triumph Wild Spirit Deboned Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Cat Food on 16 Apr 2015
How Much Does Triumph Cat Food Cost?
Triumph cat food is some of the cheapest you can buy.
In terms of price, their wet formulas are on par with Friskies or Fancy Feast. The Chicken n’ Liver Formula costs about $0.80 per day to feed a 10-lb cat. If you opt for Triumph’s dry food, your expenses will be even lower at around $0.16 per day.
Overall, Is Triumph A Good Choice?
Triumph’s strong point is its price.
In contrast to similarly-priced products, Triumph foods don’t contain any animal by-products. Instead, they appear to emphasize high-quality, readily-digested ingredients. They skip synthetic additives like dyes and flavors. They don’t contain any potentially-harmful preservatives.
For the price of Friskies, you get cat food on par with some of the mid-range options at the pet specialty store.
Aside from the cost factor, the brand fails to do anything particularly impressive. Considering its use of potentially-harmful carrageenan and relatively high carbohydrate content, Triumph cat food doesn’t earn any top ratings in the nutrition department.
This is a good option to consider if you want something better than the typical budget brands, but it’s not one of the best we’ve reviewed.
Where To Buy Triumph Cat Food?
Triumph is available in all 50 United States and over 30 countries worldwide. Buy Triumph foods in big box stores, groceries, discount stores, feed stores, and select pet specialty retailers.
Online, you’ll find Triumph cat food on Chewy, Amazon, and other online retailers.
Also Read: Best Cheap Cat Food: Top 5 Affordable (and Healthy!) Foods
Their dry food is 10 percent moisture content. All of Purina’s dry food usually has a 13% which is the best i have found except for Stella and Chewy’s cat kibble which is pretty darn close. Wondering why you commented negatively on the moisture content of their dry food ? I It is hard to find a quality dry cat food that homeless cats will actually eat I spend a small fortune on trying though while the other feeders feed Meow Mix which is the big hit
Even a higher-moisture dry food is still low in water compared to a cats’ hydration needs. When it comes to feeding stray and feral cats in the community, it’s important to focus on what you can afford first. Here’s our list of the best cat food for feeding feral cats in the community.