The layers around the pseudobulb (bracts?) will dry up, that is normal.
They are just there to support and protect the growth as it is developing.
As long as the pseudobulb and leaf look healthy it is nothing to worry
about.
-danny

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:k0hwd.6101$mn6.1123@trnddc07...
Correction: make that second to newest growth, whenever I refer to newest
growth, I just noticed that there is a very small new growth coming out
from
under the tattered dry outer layer's bottom edge. So I figure there are
two
possibilities, either 1) it's doing very well; or 2) it's doing very
poorly
and trying to frantically reproduce to save it's life. I am guessing 1,
but
would appreciate a confirmation. If you need more info before giving a
diagnosis, please ask me questions so that I know what else to look for to
determine this plant's health.

Thanks,
Joanna

"J Fortuna" wrote in message
news:1Lgwd.6099$mn6.5162@trnddc07...
I have a question about my catt, which is actually an LC if it makes a
difference:

It's newest growth has been rather slim, not much pseudobulb there, but
it
already has a sheath on this growth as well (it cam with two sheaths
when
I
bought it, and the flowers on the a bit older growth are now fading.
This
newest growth developed brown spots on its outer "layer" (or whatever
the
plant's skin is called around the pseudobulb) and then this outer layer
became dry. The upper part of this same growth, the sheath with bud
within,
continues to look green and healthy. Is all this normal? Or is something
wrong? I figure maybe the pseudobulb is developing and as part of this
development process it sheds its outer skin like a snake. :-)

I don't know much about Catts, all I know is that if my Phal or Paph
behaved
that way I would be worried, but I know that this is not a Phal or Paph
so
I
figure maybe it's normal (?).

Thank you for any advice, including more terminology so that I can
describe
this better.

Joanna