I got this little one early 2023 before I saw (and bought) some more mature versions (also pictured). What was a little paw is turning into a head, and lots of hands giving the middle finger are following. But is it a cactus? No, and a guy at a plant shop made sure to remind me as he continued to say “We have cactus over there - I mean Euphorbia.” Thorns, not spines. From Wiki: “Among laypeople, Euphorbia species are among the plant taxa most commonly confused with cacti, especially the stem succulents. Euphorbias secrete a sticky, milky-white fluid with latex, but cacti do not. Individual flowers of euphorbias are usually tiny and nondescript (although structures around the individual flowers may not be), without petals and sepals, unlike cacti, which often have fantastically showy flowers.[22] Euphorbias from desert habitats with growth forms similar to cacti have thorns, which are different from the spines of cacti.” (Laypeople lol)
