My memory is horrid but it seems to me there is an extended warranty
period for emissions systems in certain honda vehicles.

If a standard cat will work - consider going to a junk yard - I like to
take the part I am replacing with me so that when the knuckle dragger
comes out with "your" part, you can do a face to face comparison.

If you do it yourself - only way to get the bolts off of a cat is to
use an angle grinder and grind them off - use eye protection - full
face mask.

In my state, WI - the state polution testers just hook into the
computer on your car and take that reading.  If you stop a couple of
blocks from the testing station and take out your fuse that powers the
"computer", it will clean out any trouble codes until you go over about
30 MPH again.  They used to accelerate vehicles on the test stands to
45 mph or so on the odometer - however they managed to get some big
lawsuits when they screwed up people's cars.  Now they only read the
computer output.  Mine always passes but if you are pressed for bucks -
that might be a temporary solution to get your vehicle to pass the
emission test - oh they do use a mirror and look to see if you do have
a cat and a muffler and that your exhaust appears to be in one piece.

good luck - sorry that had to happen to you but that extra expense for
the ULEV cat is a reason not to buy one of those vehicles.  I am a poor
boy.

i dont see why a standard 3-way catalyst wouldnt work. i used one in a
1975 MG, where the cat is located right under (and connected to) the
exhaust manifold. the old cat was either gutted or fell apart through
the years. the new one passed the test with flying colors.

required unbolting the whole A-pipe section of the MG exhaust, cutting
the flange off, welding it on the cat, then bolting the pipe back on the
cat.

if the cat ever goes in my 98 civic CX (california emissions) i plan on
doing the same thing.