No check engine light I assume.
Sure sounds and acts like a partially clogged Cat to me.
They can still pass emissions with a restricted converter. They just won't run too well when the thing gets hot.
We'll cross our fingers for ya.
Don't really want to remove it.
Replaced the Cat on our "95 a couple of years ago with a hi-flow. No emission inspection anymore here in ATL because it's 25 years old but it actually runs better with one as that's the way the ECM is set up to operate. So you'd need a Cat even if you didn't live in that god forsaken place out there ....
Just kiddin' ......a little.