Jetta :: Change Catalytic Converter After 12,000 Miles?

My car had its check engine light come on a few days ago, and the engine started to get extremely loud whenever I was accelerating. I would also smell gas whenever I would start the car. I decided to take it to a mechanic, who did a diagnostic check and told me that my catalytic converter was busted. This troubled me because I had just had the part replaced a little over two years ago. I figured the part would still be under warranty, but the mechanic that I had used to replace the cat told me that it was only under warranty for one year or 12,000 miles, according to the distributor. Well, I got a hold of the distributor, and he told me that he didn't have the information for the specific part that he used (he just told me that he "figured" it would be one year or 12,000 miles because most of the parts that they receive have warranties of that length....). Shops are closed now for the weekend, and I am getting worried about my bank account here...should I be?

Well, my questions for you all are as follows:1) Have you all ever heard of a catalytic converter ever having only a 1 year or 12,000-mile warranty? My current mechanic tells me he has never heard of one being so short, and that usually they are 5 years or 50,000 miles. I did minimal research on the internet and also found similar results.2) Who do I need to get into contact with in order to find out how long the warranty is, and how I redeem the warranty?