Performance issues generally are not related to the catalog. If you are having performance problems there is something else wrong. Generally speaking I think it is commonly thought that one catalog the most efficient way to work with Lightroom. You can use folders, and keywords, and collections and other methods to organize your work so that it is quickly and easily accessible. If you want your edit history then you need to leave your images in Lightroom and use Lightroom to manage them.
I have given you an extremely brief answer. Perhaps someone else will expand on what I have written. But don't try to manage your work using multiple catalogs. I think you will find that it greatly complicates things.