Should the engine's exhaust fumes be scolding hot?

I put my hand under the exhaust pipe of a 2.7 liter engine and a 5.7 liter engine and the fumes were scolding hot.

My suspicion is that the catalyzer has been removed.

Note, both cars were started on a cold engine, and exhaust fumes were scolding hot after a minute or so.

Is it normal or the catalytic converter has been removed ? Therefore the exhaust fumes exit directly from cylinder head...no black smoke coming out of both cars..