Ten years ago, I received a cactus as gift.
First of all, how do you know it is a cactus? Do the spines come from an areole
or are they just stuck in the stem?
What did the flowers look like?

the once-erect cactus is now bent over. The center stalk grew thinner
towards the end and began to lean about 8 or 9 years ago
Sadly, despite my best efforts, I have never been able to get it to flower
again.
From your description, it sounds as though your plant is not getting enough
light. Do you put it outdoors for the summer? Some cacti and other succulents
require a rest period, some in the summer, others in the winter.
Do a Web search or go to the library and look in an encyclopedia of the cactus
family, as well as an encyclopedia of succulents.


Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"The trouble with people is not that they don't know but that they know so much
that ain't so."
Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw), 1818-1885