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Cat converter delete, which is what it is called, is known to add around 8-10% right off the bat to engine hp for the same fuel consumption. Usually the way it is done is to install 'race exhausts' or exhausts with 'racing cats', which usually are empty but appear to have a cat in it to fool any visual inspection.

Seriously, the reason most ricers start with exhausts is because it is easy as heck and adds essentially free power that never should have been removed from our engines in the first place.

There is a new caveat - modern ECUs will detect this and try to penalize you. Generally, if the ECU can't vary the fuel richness and see a corresponding variation in the O2 sensor (called 'closed loop operation'), it throws a check engine light. In older cars, the error was the only thing you got, and you could get around it by changing the engine tune to stay in 'open loop operation', which is the default mode when the car coolant isn't up to temp, and in yesteryear also when the check-engine light was lit.

Ever since 2008 or so, cars started punishing you by running extremely rich if this detected, called 'limp home' mode. It is a completely unnecessary mode that can foul up your O2 sensors and exhaust valves, cause backfires, etc, but fortunately you can tune the car's fuel maps (which most tunes are set to disable the penalty mode altogether).

So, basically yes, through an exhaust install and a quick tune (which you can either do yourself or buy offline), but anything beyond that requires some pretty heavy mods.

Sir, what you are discussing is a very serious federal crime, and a MAJOR violation of the law in the state of california. If a mechanic was ever found to do such a job they would be in serious trouble, as well as the owner of the vehicle when it gets tested or inspected based on local laws which vary from region to region.

Catalytic deletions, and ECU flashing / reprograming can end up costing you a ton of money, if you get caught.