Getting my kitten to wear a collar/ cat going outside

[CERD]

Hi all
I've not been on the catcaht forums for.... long enough to forget my login details so HI!
So we've had a bit of a rocky ride with cats, but our rescue kitten Ramone is now about 5 months and has been castrated so we're starting to let him out. It's quite nerve racking for us as two of our old cats were serial micers and we lost them both on a local road a few months apart on their mousing trips. So I'm keen to ensure Ramone does not meet the same fate.
We put a collar on him about a month ago, which he hated. He never managed to get it off but two weeks in we found a huge sore under his chin where he's been scratching to get it off. Eventually we removed it and although he's scratched the scab off quite a few times, it's finally healing. How can we get him to wear a collar again though? He is chipped but I'd like the collar for the bell, in the hope he won't upset the neighbours by destroying all the local wildlife......

Also, we've just started to let him out which I've found very stressful based on past experiences with two cats being hit by cars. We live on a quiet estate but not far from a busier (only 30mph) ring road. We waited until Ramone had been castrated before letting him out in the hope it might reduce his roaming capacity (?). I am working at home today and he's used the catflap by himself and I find myself sitting here looking out into the garden to make sure he's ok then stressing when I can't see him. WE took him out on the lead and harness a few times to get him used to the garden and then showed him our complicated catflap set up... but I feel very nervous! We plan to keep him in after dark. Our last cat was an indoor cat (FIV+ diabetic) so we've not been through this for a while. Also the last time I had a kitten was about 20 years ago so I feel like I'm starting all over again! Reassure me please- or does anyone have any good advice for eitehr the collar or letting him out?

Thank you!

[meriad]

Oh my he is absolutely gorgeous!

Could you cat proof your garden at all; what type of fencing do you have in place now? If it's a regular 6ft wood fence all round then cat proofing is quite simple to do and you'd have peace of mind knowing Ramone can't get out of the garden, yet he can still get outside

[CERD]

Thanks He's not bad eh?
Our fatty old (mostly inside) cat managed to somehow fight out of our previous attempts at catproofing! Ramone also a demon for getting out of the front door (which goes onto a courtyard not the road) so I'd worry he might sneak out when we're trying to get the pram out etc and then not be able to get back in the garden!! The fences aren't too high plus there's lot of "things" in the garden to provide a leg-up!
He's been back and forth today so I guess he's getting the hang of it all!