I just noticed a rat this morning near my house. I have some trees and a stream behind my house so I assume it lives down there somewhere. I have not seen any rat droppings in my house or heard any “scurrying” or “scratching” at night. There is no evidence of rats being in my house but the sight of one near my house for the first time since I have lived there (4 years) is making me kind of nervous. I wonder if there is anything I should do to prevent them from coming in or just leave them to the hawks that will come around the house occasionally, feeding on the birds and mice. I don’t know if I should be worried or not.