The protective plate under the cat is secured by 4 bolts. The welded nut on the other side of the body is directly under the front seats. The center jack point is halfway between the bolts.

I am too lazy to pull MY front seat and peel back the carpeting to tell you exactly where the weld nut is, that is your job. Get a 14mm and lift up the seat and the forward edge of the rear carpet.

You can drive around with the protective plate removed, just not on rainy days or off road where the dangling rear O2 sensor wire will catch on something and rip it off.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new