Any time! Your friend was correct, a clogged fuel filter can cause bogging, so can low fuel pressure. You can't really go by feel on the fuel pressure - it's supposed to be at 39psi at idle with the little vacuum hose at the regulator disconnected and plugged, a few psi off one way or the other and it may feel like you have ok pressure, but you'll have driveability problems. You check the fuel pressure the same way you check your tires - there's a valve just like a tire valve on the fuel rail (passenger side, you don't have to remove anything to get to it), covered by a little black cap. You need a special gauge however since this is fuel, I believe you can borrow one at AutoZone. It's part of their "Loan a Tool" "Fuel Pump Diagnostic System." Remove cap, remove vacuum hose from regulator and plug it, install gauge, start car, check the gauge - should say around 40psi, stop car, push button on gauge to let out remaining pressure, and disconnect gauge. (Pro-tip next time you change your fuel filter, you can depress the little valve inside the fuel rail with a screw-driver (don't overdo it and wreck the valve) to avoid having fuel sprayed at you when you remove the filter).
I suspected fuel because when you go to accelerate, the fuel system is supposed to give it an extra shot of fuel to get you going and to counter-act the vacuum drop when the throttle opens (the 'accelerator pump' function from the computer). Also, when the vacuum drops (from acceleration), the fuel pressure is supposed to go up and the fuel pump may not be able to keep up with it. So it could be a weak fuel pump or a faulty pressure regulator. Those are just guesses for things to check, and no parts need to be replaced to check the pressure. There can be other causes of bogging, but lack of fuel is one of the biggest, along with vacuum leaks (generally a lean condition), and retarded timing (the comments above are correct, you can't really change that so it's much less likely).
As for the cats being clogged (much less likely since that also usually comes with a poor idle, and weakness at high revs), I suggested a vacuum gauge can rule that out (an exhaust system clog will show serious problems with the vacuum level the car creates). Here's an article about the things a vacuum gauge can help you figure out:
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=2393 (clogged cats fall under the same as 'blocked exhaust.')
So start with a fuel pressure check, if that comes back good I can suggest some other things to check, but I suspect you'll find something wrong here.
