Objective To observe the neuropsychiatric behavioral performance in kainic acid (KA)-induced epilepsy rats, based on which to investigate the gender difference in the acute seizure and behavioral performance in tasks of sense, motor, learning and memory in the remission phase, and explore the potential neurobiological mechanism. Methods Healthy SD rats aging 4 weeks were randomly divided into a control group and a model group, with 22 rats in each group, half male and half female. The epileptic rat model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of KA. The seizure latency and seizure frequency within 2 h of each rat were observed, seizure grade was assessed by Racine grade standard, and cortical electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. Behavioral performance were observed via a series of tasks including open field testing (OFT), balance beam walking, elevated plus maze (EPM), Y-maze, and novel object recognition (NOR). The level of GABA in the hippocampus was detected by ELISA, the injury of hippocampal neurons was observed by Nissl staining, and the protein expression of Synapsin-1 and Synaptotagmin1 in the hippocampus were detected by Western Blot. Result Both male and female rats presented typically epileptic behaviors after KA injection. However, compared with that of the male ones, the latency to the first seizure (P = 0.014) or grading Ⅳ-Ⅴ was advanced in female model rats (P < 0.01), and the frequency of epileptic seizures within 2 h was significantly reduced (P = 0.019). In the OFT, compared with the control group, KA induced epileptic model rats presented more motor but less hedonic behaviors, as indicated by the decreased moving distance in total and in the central area. Moreover, the grooming frequency was significantly reduced in the female model rats, as compared to not only the control, but also the male model rats (P < 0.01). The model rats spent more time to complete the task with higher score in the balance beam walking task, indicating a poorer ability of stability and balance. In the EPM, the exploration times in the closed arm of the male model rats was increased; The preference index of the novel arm or object was decreased in the Y maze and NOR, suggesting an impairment of learning and memory ability. Moreover, neuronal injuries were found in the hippocampus of the model rats, accompanied with a declined concentration of GABA and protein expression of Synapsin-1 and Synaptotagmin1, with no gender difference. Conclusion Intraperitoneal injection of KA could successfully induce an epilepsy rat model. However, there is a gender difference in not only the characters of acute seizures, but also the behavioral performance in sensory, motor, and learning memory during epileptic remission, Moreover, there was no gender difference about the hippocampal GABA concentration and expression of synaptic plasticity-related proteins, which could not declare clearly about the mechanism underlying the gender differences.