In early 1970, Bogert and Appice brought in blues guitarist Jim McCarty from Mitch Ryder's Detroit Wheels and the Buddy Miles Express, and singer Rusty Day (born Russell Edward Davidson) from the Amboy Dukes.

[2] This lineup released three albums on Atco Records, Cactus (1970), One Way... or Another (1971), and Restrictions (1971), before intraband troubles led to McCarty quitting at the end of 1971.

[2] The fourth and last original Cactus album, 'Ot 'n' Sweaty (1972), featured rhythm section Bogert and Appice joined by Werner Fritzschings on guitar, Duane Hitchings on keyboards and Peter French (ex-Leaf Hound and Atomic Rooster) on vocals.

Their second album remains unreleased to this day, along with recordings of the band's last concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London on January 26, 1974.

[2] Mike Pinera, formerly of Blues Image and Iron Butterfly, came in on guitar, along with Roland Robinson on bass and Jerry Norris on drums.

[2] The band then toured live in the Midwest and on the East Coast in mid 1973 with Captain Beyond drummer Bobby Caldwell and former Gregg Allman bass player Charlie Souza.

The 2006 version of Cactus saw original members Appice, Bogert and McCarty reunited and joined by former Savoy Brown frontman Jimmy Kunes on vocals.

In early 2016, Carmine Appice announced on his Twitter and Facebook pages that Cactus was coming out with a new album at the end of May that year, "Black Dawn".

[5] In 2017, Jimmy Caputo was announced as the band's new bassist and Paul Warren (formerly with Rare Earth, Richard Marx and Rod Stewart) was brought in on guitar, after Jim McCarty was forced to step away from touring due to health issues.